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LIBRARY 

Qf  tHE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


STATUE   OF  LOGAN,   GRANT   PARK,   CHICAGO 


THE  STORY  OF 


ILLINOIS 


AND    ITS    PEOPLE 


BY 


WILLIAM  LEWIS  NIDA,,  Ph.B. 

THE  IIPRftRY  flF  THE 
MAR*     1933 

REVISED    EDITION 

rtoirv  OK  ILdNOtS 


CHICAGO 
O.  P.  BARNES,  PUBLISHER 


Copyright,  1910,  1913 
By  O.  P.  BARNES 


N  54- 

\<\  \3 

PREFACE 


wl  ISTORY  is  the  most  human,  and  there- 
fore the  most  absorbing,  of  all  studies. 
There  seems  to  be  no  practical  limit  to 
the  interest  that  may  be  secured  in  the 
class  room,  when  the  great  events  are 
presented  to  the  pupils  as  the  actual  deeds  of  real 
people.  In  capable  hands  the  pages  often  become, 
as  it  were,  a  stage  on  which  living  characters 
reenact  the  dramas  of  former  generations. 

Take  the  children,  in  imagination,  through 
that  picturesque  region  and  along  the  beautiful 
streams  that  Black  Hawk  loved,  and  he  ceases  to 
be  merely  a  troublesome  Indian,  and  becomes  to 
them  thereafter  the  hero  of  a  pathetic  racial 
tragedy. 

Pioneer  days  have  gone  forever  from  Illinois. 
Yet  that  ever-present  longing  in  the  human  race 
to  go  to  the  woods,  to  build  the  cabin,  and  to  bat- 
tle with  the  wilderness,  will  spring  up  as  a  flame  in 
the  minds  of  our  boys  and  girls  of  today,  when 
told  of  the  heroic  deeds  of  their  forefathers.  Nor 
will  the  fact  be  overlooked,  that  out  of  these 
meager  frontier  fabrics  were  woven  some  of  the 
most  sterling  characters  of  our  national  life. 

Let  us,  then,  carry  out  the  lumber  of  unim- 
portant details  and  the  dry  bones  of  facts  and  dates, 
and  bring  in  the  live  flesh  and  blood  of  INTEREST, 
INCIDENT  and  NARRATIVE,  and  we  shall  rind  that 
the  time  devoted  to  the  study  of  the  history  of  our 
own  state  has  indeed  been  a  profitable  season. 

W.  L.  N. 


DIE  WHEN  I  MAY,  I  WANT  IT  SAID 
OF  ME  BY  THOSE  WHO  KNEW  ME 
BEST,  THAT  I  ALWAYS  PLUCKED  A 
THISTLE  AND  PLANTED  A  FLOWER 
WHERE  I  THOUGHT  A  FLOWER 
WOULD  GROW. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 


MAPS 

MAP  SHOWING  EARLY  PORTAGES 31 

FRENCH  EXPLORERS  IN  THE  MISSISSIPPI   VALLEY  ....     79 

' '  THE  AMERICAN  BOTTOM  " 87 

CLARK'S  ROUTE  TO  KASKASKIA 100 

LAND  CLAIMS  OF  THE  THIRTEEN  ORIGINAL  STATES 128 

STATES  PROPOSED  BY  JEFFERSON 129 

THE  NORTHWEST  TERRITORY 130 

MAP  OF  DISPUTED  TERRITORY 132 

MAP  OF  PROPOSED  IMPROVEMENTS,  1837 144 

THE  YANKEES  IN  ILLINOIS 166 

FREE  AND  SLAVE  COUNTIES  IN  1824 183 

TERRITORY  OPENED  TO  SLAVERY  BY  THE  KANSAS-NE- 
BRASKA BILL 216 

CHICAGO  IN  ASHES 267 

RAILROAD  AND  COUNTY  MAP  OF  ILLINOIS.  .  .   291 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

STATUE  OF  LOGAN,  GRANT  PARK,  CHICAGO  .  Frontispiece 

MANTLE  OF  INVISIBILITY 12 

RELICS  FOUND  IN  INDIAN  MOUNDS 19 

HOME  LIFE  OF  THE  INDIAN 25 

AN  O JIBWAY  INDIAN  GIRL 35 

DRIFTING  UPON  THE  MISSISSIPPI 45 

STATUE  OF  LA  SALLE,  LINCOLN  PARK,  CHICAGO 55 

STARVED  ROCK C5 

HENRI  DE  TONTY 75 

TAKING  POSSESSION  FOR  FRANCE.  .  91 


ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued 

GEORGE  ROGERS  CLARK 103 

AN  OLD  INDIAN  TRAIL Ill 

A  FRONTIER  SCHOOL  HOUSE 121 

THE  TIDE  OP  IMMIGRATION 156 

STEAMBOATS  ON  THE  MISSISSIPPI  RIVER 175 

THE  LOVEJOY  MONUMENT,  ALTON 201 

STEPHEN  A.  DOUGLAS 219 

LINCOLN  AND  His  SON  "TAD" 229 

JOHN  A.  LOGAN 239 

ULYSSES  S.   GRANT 249 

RICHARD  YATES 259 

MICHIGAN  BOULEVARD,  CHICAGO 269 

A  BEAUTIFUL  SCHOOL  GARDEN  . .                                    .  281 


TITLES  OF  CHAPTERS 

I     THE  INDIANS  OF  ILLINOIS 13 

II     MARQUETTE  AND  JOLIET. 30 

III  ROBERT  CAVELIER  DE  LA  SALLE 48 

IV  LA  SALLE  VISITS  THE  ILLINOIS  INDIANS 59 

V    LA  SALLE  ON  THE  GULF 74 

VI  KASKASKIA  UNDER  FRANCE  AND  ENGLAND  . .  86 

VII  COLONEL  CLARK  AT  KASKASKIA 97 

VIII  CLARK  CAPTURES  VINCENNES 108 

IX  EARLY  DAYS  IN  ILLINOIS 116 

X  BOUNDARIES  AND  TERRITORIAL  DAYS 127 

XI.  FORT  DEARBORN  AND  EARLY  CHICAGO 137 

XII  THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR 150 

XIII  A  TIDE  OF  IMMIGRATION 155 

XIV  YANKEES  IN  NORTHERN  ILLINOIS 165 

XV  THE  INTRODUCTION  OF  SLAVES 180 

XVI  THE  DECLINE  OF  SLAVERY 191 

XVII      LOVEJOY    AND   THE   ABOLITIONISTS 198 

XVIII     THE  UNDERGROUND  RAILROAD 209 

XIX     THE  GREAT  DEBATES 215 

XX    NOMINATION  AND  ELECTION  OF  LINCOLN  ....  226 
XXI     ILLINOIS  IN  THE  WAR 

STEPHEN  A.  DOUGLAS 236 

RICHARD   YATES 242 

JOHN  A.  LOGAN 245 

ULYSSES  S.  GRANT 248 

ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 255 

XXII    LATER  TIMES  IN  CHICAGO 265 

XXIII  THE  SCHOOLS  OF  ILLINOIS 279 

XXIV  OUR  HISTORIC  OUTLOOK. 287 

THE  APPENDIX , 294 

TOPICAL  INDEX  . .                                            .  299 


MANTLE   OF   INVISIBILITY 

A  charmed  covering  for  spies  which  they  imagined  would  enable 
them  to  pass  unseen  through  the  country,  and  even  through  the 
camp  of  their  enemies.  — Report  of  the  Bureau  of  Ethnology. 


THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 


CHAPTER   I 

The  object  of  the  "scalp-lock"  was  to  give  an  adversary — if 
he  could  get  it — a  fair  grip  in  fight,  and  also  to  enable  him  to  pull 
his  enemy's  scalp  off  as  a  trophy  of  the  battle.  That  lock  was  the 
Indian's  flag  of  defiance.  It  waved  above  his  head  as  the  colors 
do  above  a  fort,  as  if  to  say,  "Take  me  if  you  can!" 

— D.  H.  MONTGOMERY. 

THE   INDIANS    OF   ILLINOIS 

Name  and  Origin  of  the  Indian.  When  Columbus  first 
touched  the  shores  of  the  New  World  he  found  here  a 
native  race  of  red  men  whom  he  called  Indians,  because 
he  supposed  he  had  discovered  the  East  Indies.  The 
Indian  had  not  advanced  far  enough  in  the  arts  of  civili- 
zation to  keep  a  written  record  of  his  history.  Where  he 
originally  came  from  and  how  long  he  had  lived  here  before 
the  coming  of  the  white  man,  nobody  knows.  Most  of 
the  tribes  declared  they  were  natives,  and  that  they  came 
up  out  of  the  earth.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain.  The 
red  race  was  spread,  for  long  ages,  over  all  North  and 
South  America. 

The  Mound  Builders.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that 
in  former  ages  a  race  more  advanced  than  the  Indians 
occupied  the  Mississippi  valley.  From  the  large  number  of 
mounds  they  left,  they  have  been  called  the  Mound 
Builders.  Within  these  mounds  stone  and  copper  weapons 

13 


14  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

and  utensils  are  discovered  which  show  that  this  race  was 
superior  to  the  savages  found  here  by  the  Europeans. 
Whence  they  came  or  whither  they  went,  no  one  can  tell. 
The  closer  we  study  the  relics  dug  from  these  mounds, 
the  more  probable  it  seems  that  the  Mound  Builders  were 
merely  the  more  civilized  ancestors  of  the  Indians. 

The  red  men  had  forgotten  much  that  was  known  to 
their  mound-building  forefathers.  But  they  knew  how 
to  scratch  the  soil  with  a  sharp  stick,  a  bone,  or  a  stone 
hoe,  and  thus  raise  corn  and  a  few  vegetables.  So  they 
were  not  entirely  dspendent  upon  hunting  and  fishing  for 
their  living.  They  had  dogs  of  a  low  breed  which  they 
used  in  the  chase,  but  horses,  cows,  goats,  sheep,  and  pigs 
were  unknown  to  them.  Without  the  help  of  such  animals 
it  is  very  hard  to  rise  from  barbarism  into  civilized  life. 

The  Algonquian  Family.  When  the  white  men  first 
visited  the  Mississippi  valley  they  found  "The  Country 
of  the  Illinois"  inhabited  by  eight  different  tribes:  the 
Illinois,  Miamis,  Kickapoos,  Mascoutins,  Pottawatomies, 
Sacs  and  Foxes,  Winnebagoes  and  Shawnees.  These 
tribes  were  all  members  of  the  Algonquian  family. 

The  splendid  location  of  Illinois,  with  its  fine  climate, 
fertile  soil,  and  abundince  of  all  kinds  of  game,  was  the 
cause  of  many  a  bloody  war  for  its  possession.  Its  famous 
hunting  grounds  were  known  even  to  the  distant  Iroquois, 
who  made  frequent  incursions  to  seize  upon  them  and  drive 
out  the  resident  tribes. 

The  Indians  of  the  Illinois  country  differed  little  from 
the  other  members  of  the  Algonquian  family,  except  that, 
because  of  the  abundance  of  larger  game,  they  knew  little 
of  trapping  and  fishing.  Neither  was  agriculture  carried 
on  so  extensively  as  elsewhere,  for  the  same  reason. 

The  Work  of  the  Squaw.  The  Indian  family  divided 
the  work  of  life  among  its  members.  The  lodge  or  wigwam, 


THE   INDIANS   OF   ILLINOIS  15 

with  all  its  arrangements,  was  subject  to  the  rule  of  the 
squaw.  She  assigned  to  each  a  place  to  eat,  sleep,  and  to 
store  his  belongings.  Her  husband  never  interfered  with 
the  affairs  of  the  wigwam.  If  he  did  not  like  the  way  things 
were  going  he  said  nothing,  but  made  for  the  woods.  It 
was  the  work  of  the  squaw  to  take  down  the  lodge  and  bind 
the  necessaries  on  the  backs  of  dogs,  or  to  carry  them 
herself  to  the  next  camp.  Later  ponies  were  introduced, 
which  served  to  lighten  her  burdens.  The  warrior  was 
always  left  free  on  the  march  that  he  might  be  ready  to 
meet  a  lurking  enemy  or  to  pursue  game. 

The  squaw  was  strong  and  vigorous  and  fully  equal 
to  her  labors.  Much  of  the  time  she  spent  in  idleness. 
She  had  not,  like  the  farmer's  wife  of  today,  cows  to  milk, 
butter  to  make,  or  poultry  to  care  for.  No  dishwashing, 
knitting  nor  fancy  work  fell  to  her  lot.  She  needed  not  to 
dress  the  children  and  prepare  them  for  school.  There 
was  no  wardrobe  to  care  for,  no  books  to  read,  no  chairs 
to  dust.  The  wigwam  was  not  crowded  with  mahogany 
furniture.  They  sat  and  slept  on  brush  or  buffalo  robes. 
Sweeping,  too,  was  a  simple  matter.  The  broom  was  of 
cedar  branches,  the  floor  the  bare  earth,  and  if  the  squaw 
failed  to  sweep  clean  and  often,  the  lord  of  the  forest  made 
no  complaint. 

There  was  the  fire-pit  in  the  center  of  the  wigwam  where 
cooking  was  done.  The  meat  and  fowl  provided  by  the 
red  man  were  thrown  on  the  fire,  and  eaten  half-raw. 
Certain  foods,  such  as  succotash,  were  cooked  by  throwing 
hot  stones  into  the  containing  vessel  of  unglazed  pottery 
or  wood  which  could  not  be  put  over  the  fire.  Sometimes 
during  the  hunting  season  they  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground, 
shaped  like  a  bowl,  into  which  they  fitted  a  green  buffalo 
skin,  hairy  side  down,  and  filled  it  with  water.  Heated 
stones  were  dropped  into  this  to  cook  the  buffalo  meat. 


16  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  family  had  one  meal  a  day  together.  At  other  times 
each  ate  when  hungry,  the  fingers  answering  for  knives 
and  forks. 

There  was  no  wash-day.    When  a  skin  had  been  dressed 

,     and  a  garment  made  of  it,  by  using  a  bone  needle  with  a 

v      sinew  of  deer  for  thread,  it  was  worn  till  it  was  in  tatters. 

The  squaw  collected  wood  for  fuel,  using  a  stone  hammer 

to  break  it  into  proper  lengths,  after  which  it  was  tied  into 

bundles  and  carried  to  the  lodge.    She  planted  the  patches 

of    corn,    beans,    melons    and    pumpkins,    and    cultivated 

them  with  a  sharp  stick  or  a  hoe  made  of  the  shoulder  blade 

of  the  buffalo  or  elk. 

The  Work  of  the  Brave.  It  may  seem  that  there  was 
no  work  left  for  the  red  man  to  do,  but  this  is  not  true. 
He  has  not  been  given  justice  in  the  matter  of  doing  his 
share  of  the  work.  The  making  of  implements  and  arms 
was  a  long  and  laborious  task.  The  most  skillful  Indian 
could  not  make  an  arrow  short  of  a  hard  day's  work. 
In  an  exciting  chase  he  often  used  and  lost  as  many  arrows 
as  would  keep  him  busy  for  months  to  replace.  Bows 
were  made  from  the  wood  of  the  Osage  orange,  for  which 
long  journeys  were  made.  Each  warrior  had  several  in 
different  stages  of  completion.  Much  time  was  required 
for  the  various  processes  and  treatments  necessary  to  make 
a  good  bow.  The  bow  strings  were  twisted  from  finely 
shredded  sinew. 

The  savage  had  no  end  of  chipped  stone  blades,  with 
varying  sizes  for  the  deer,  bear  and  buffalo.  Their  spears 
were  tipped  with  antler  or  bone.  Chipping  tools  from 
stone,  and  arrow  heads  from  flint,  was  no  child's  play. 
Then  there  was  the  grooved  ax  with  a  handle  of  hickory 
or  ash  sapling  that  would  bend  double  without  breaking. 

The  bringing  down  of  animals  for  food  was  not  mere 
pastime.  Before  the  introduction  of  ponies  and  firearms 


THE   INDIANS   OF   ILLINOIS  17 

from  Europe,  great  endurance  and  patience,  as  well  as 
skill,  were  required  to  approach  and  kill  a  buffalo  or  deer. 
"With  his  head  covered  by  a  cap  of  grass  or  weeds,  the 
Indian  will  lie  for  hours,  noiseless  as  a  snake,  watching 
the  game:  now  perfectly  motionless,  now  crawling  a  few 
feet:  no  constraint  of  position,  no  fiercest  heat  of  the 
sun,  seeming  to  affect  him  in  the  least.  He  will  lie  for 
a  whole  day  at  a  water  hole  waiting  for  the  game  to 
come  and  drink,  in  such  a  position  that  the  wind  will  not 
reveal  him." 

Besides  making  arms  and  providing  food,  the  red  man's 
duty  was  to  guard  his  hunting  grounds,  to  keep  out  his 
enemies,  and  to  protect  the  women  and  children  in  war. 
Fighting  was  the  business  of  the  braves,  and  they  were 
on  the  warpath  much  of  the  time.  While  the  work  of 
the  warrior  and  squaw  was  divided  fairly  before  the  white 
man  came,  the  introduction  of  ponies  and  muskets  lightened 
the  work  of  the  male  Indian,  while  the  squaw  was  not 
relieved  so  much.  Because  he  did  not  quickly  take  upon 
himself  some  of  his  squaw's  work,  we  have  censured 
him  unjustly. 

The  Training  of  Children.  The  papoose  was  tied  to 
the  cradle-board  for  the  first  two  years  of  its  life.  The 
father  took  no  care  of  the  child  until  he  was  big  enough 
to  learn  the  use  of  the  bow  and  arrow  and  to  throw  the 
tomahawk.  These  cradle-boards  were  light  and  well 
made.  They  were  longer  than  the  child  and  somewhat 
wider.  A  hoop  of  strong  hickory  wood,  wrapped  to  pro- 
tect the  head,  was  bent  over  the  face  of  the  papoose,  and 
the  ends  made  fast  to  the  boards.  Holes  were  made  in 
the  edges  of  the  board  through  which  straps  of  rawhide 
were  passed  to  hold  the  bed  and  child  firmly  in  place. 
At  the  end  of  the  board  a  strap  was  passed  through  a 
hole  and  the  ends  tied.  When  the  squaw  was  busy,  she 


18  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

hung  the  cradle-board  and  child  to  the  limb  of  a  tree,  or 
stood  it  against  a  tree  or  stump.  Perhaps  this  is  better 
than  putting  a  child  in  one  of  our  cradles,  for  it  keeps  the 
little  one's  back  straight.  Some  think  this  is  why  the 
Indian  men  are  more  erect  than  white  men. 

The  Indian  boy  "had  to  learn  to  swim  like  a  fish  and 
dive  like  a  beaver,  to  climb  trees  like  a  squirrel,  and  to 
run  like  a  deer.  -  He  had  to  learn  how  to  set  traps  for 
wild  animals,  and  how  to  hunt  and  kill  them.  He  was 
taught  to  howl  like  a  wolf,  to  bleat  like  a  fawn,  to  quack 
like  a  duck,  and  to  gobble  like  a  turkey.  By  imitating 
these  Avild  creatures  he  could  better  get  near  them  in  order 
to  kill  them." 

How  to  Become  a  Brave.  When  he  grew  up  he 
obtained  honor  and  social  position  not  by  riches,  for  there 
was  no  wealth  except  a  few  ornaments.  To  be  counted 
as  a  brave,  he  must  have  taken  a  scalp  or  two,  or  at  least 
have  plundered  and  stolen  from  the  enemy.  The  Indian 
never  robbed  members  of  his  own  tribe,  but  to  steal  from 
the  enemy  wras  counted  a  praiseworthy  deed. 

Indian  Customs.  When  one  brave  had  been  more 
fortunate  than  others  in  the  chase,  or  in  the  use  of  the 
arrow  or  spear,  the  spoil  was  set  apart  for  a  feast.  All 
the  adults  were  invited.  When  the  time  came  for  the 
feast,  each  one,  according  to  custom,  took  a  wooden  dish 
and  possibly  a  wooden  spoon,  and  proceeded  to  the  host's 
lodge.  The  food  was  served  with  great  care,  each  guest 
receiving  a  portion  of  the  best.  Cheerful  conversation, 
anecdote  and  personal  adventure,  wrere  introduced  by  the 
men,  the  women  not  being  allowed  to  take  part.  After 
the  feast,  the  squaws  retired  to  their  lodges,  leaving  the 
warriors  to  smoke.  Formal  councils,  where  important 
questions  like  peace  or  war  were  considered,  were  always 
opened  by  smoking  the  pipe. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

Or  C!&QfS 


THE   INDIANS   OF   ILLINOIS 


21 


The  Red  Man's  Arithmetic.  The  Indian  kept  count  of 
the  number  of  scalps  taken  or  the  number  of  days  on  a 
journey  by  cutting  notches  in  a  bow  or  spear.  There  is 
no  proof  that  they  counted  time  by  w.eeks,  but  they  meas- 
ured the  month  by  the  moon,  though  they  may  not  have 
known  enough  of  numbers  to  tell  how  many  days  made  a 
"moon."  They  measured  years  by  the  coming  of  the 
leaves  in  the  spring.  When  these  Indians  made  a  purchase, 
they  inquired,  not  how  many  dollars,  but  how  many  raccoon 
skins  they  owed. 

Indian  Writing.  The  Indians  wrote  by  drawing  pic- 
tures. On  the  post  or  tablet  at  the  head  of  an  Indian  grave 
was  drawn  the  figure  of  the  animal  or  totem  showing  the 
clan  to  which  the  deceased  belonged.  Streaks  of  red  paint 
were  added  to  denote  his  war  expeditions,  or  the  number  of 
scalps  he  had  taken  from  the  enemy. 

Here  is  an  actual  letter  written  by  an  Indian  maiden 
to  her  lover,  inviting  him  to  visit  her  at  her  lodge: 


EXPLANATION 

a  the  writer  of  the  letter,  a  girl  of  the  Bear  Totem,  shown  by  that 
animal  b;  e  and  /  are  companions  of  a,  the  crosses  signifying  that 
the  three  girls  are  Christians;  c  and  g  the  \\ig\\ams  occupied  by  the 


22  THE   STORY    OF    ILLINOIS 

girls  near  a  large  lake./,  a  trail  leading  from  ij  to  //  which  is  a  well- 
traveled  road.  The  letter  was  written  to  a  brave  of  the  Mud  Puppy 
Tot nin,  as  indicated  in  d.  i  the  trail  leading  to  her  lover's  lodge. 
/,  a  lake  near  Indian  ramp.  In  examining  c,  the  writer's  hand  is  seen 
protruding  from  an  opening  to  denote  beckoning  and  to  indicate  which 
lodge  to  visit. 

—Ihj.crt  of  the  Bureau  of  Ethnology,  1888-1889,  page  363. 

Had  the  Indian  girl  written  her  letter  in  English,  this 
is  about  the  way  it  would  have  looked: 


My  dear  Brarc, 

Of  the  Mud  Puppy  Totem, 

I  and  two  girl  companions  are  living  in  wigwams 
that  are  pitched  near  a  large  lake.  We  are  Christians, 
and  we  belong  to  the  Bear  Totem.  Not  far  from  our 
camp,  south  of  the  main  trail,  is  another  large  lake. 
I  wish  you  would  call  some  evening  at  my  lodge,  which 
i/i i  ii  trill  recognize  by  my  hand  waving  you  a  salute. 
Your  devoted  Indian  girl, 

Of  the  Bear  Totem. 


A, Buffalo  Hunt.  Every  fall  a  great  hunt  was  made 
for  the  purpose  of  killing  and  curing  a  supply  of  meat 
for  the  winter's  use.  Runners  were  sent  ahead  to  seek 
the  most  suitable  place  for  the  camp.  It  must  be  near  a 
good  supply  of  w?ater  as  well  as  timber  for  tent  poles  and 
drying  scaffolds.  Level  stretches  of  open  prairie  were 
necessary  for  the  stretching  and  drying  of  hides.  Above 
all,  the  camp  had  to  be  near  the  center  of  a  region  abounding 
in  game. 

Having  pitched  camp,  and  "all  things  being  ready, 
the  best  hunters  were  sent  out  before  dawn.  The  herd  is 
selected  for  slaughter  whose  position  is  such  that  the 
•'surround'  will  least  disturb  the  others.  A  narrow  valley 


THE   INDIANS  OF   ILLINOIS  23 

with  lateral  ravines  is  favorable.  If  the  herd  is  unfavor- 
ably situated,  the  hunter  waits  for  it  to  go  to  the  water, 
or,  by  discreet  appearances  at  intervals,  drives  it  to  the 
best  spot.  During  this  time  the  whole  active  male  por- 
tion of  the  band  is  congregated  out  of  sight  of  the  buffaloes, 
silent  and  trembling  with  excitement." 

"The  herd  being  in  the  proper  place,  the  leaders  tell 
off  the  men  and  send  them  under  temporary  captains  to 
designated  positions.  Carefully  concealed,  these  parties 
pour  down  the  valley  to  the  leeward,  and  spread  gradu- 
ally on  each  flank  of  the  wind  until  the  herd  is  surrounded, 
except  on  the  windward  side.  Seeing  that  every  man  is 
in  his  place  and  all  ready,  the  head  hunter  rapid!}*-  swings 
in  a  party  to  close  the  gap,  gives  the  signal,  and  with  a 
yell  that  would  almost  wake  the  dead,  the  whole  line 
dashes  in  and  closes  on  the  game.  The  buffaloes  make 
desperate  rushes,  until  utterly  bewildered,  they  almost 
stand  still  and  await  their  fate.  In  a  few  moments  the 
slaughter  is  complete." 

When  bows  and  arrows  Avere  used,  each  warrior  know- 
ing his  own,  had  no  difficulty  in  positively  identifying  the 
buffaloes  killed  by  him.  These  were  his  property,  except 
that  he  was  assessed  a  certain  portion.  If  arrows  of  dif- 
ferent braves  were  found  in  the  same  dead  buffalo,  it  fell 
to  him  whose  arrow  was  found  nearest  the  heart. 

"The  slaughter  completed,  the  warriors  return  to 
camp,  Avhile  the  women  skin,  cut  up,  and  carry  to  camp 
almost  every  portion  of  the  dead  animals.  As  soon  as 
the  women's  work  is  done,  other  'surrounds'  are  made, 
until  enough  meat  and  skins  are  obtained.  The  work  of 
the  women  is  most  laborious  during  the  fall  hunt.  If  the 
buffaloes  are  moving,  the  success  of  the  hunt  may  depend 
upon  the  rapidity  with  which  she  performs  her  work  on 
a  batch  of  dead  buffaloes.  The  men  do  not  wish  to  kill, 


24  THE    STORY    OF    ILLINOIS 

in  any  one  day  more  than  the  squaws  can  skin  and  cut  up 
on  that  same  day." 

Preparing  the  Meat  and  Curing  the  Hides.  "The 
meat  is  thoroughly  dried  on  the  pole  scaffolds  until  it  is 
as  hard  as  a  rock.  It  is  then  pounded  into  meal  by  means 
of  stone  mauls,  and  packed  in  cases  made  of  rav.  hide. 
Melted  tallow  is  poured  over  the  whole,  which  is  kept 
warm  until  the  mass  is  thoroughly  saturated.  When  the 
meat,  now  called  pemmican,  is  cold,  the  raAvhide  cases 
are  closed  and  tied  up.  The  contents  so  prepared,  will 
keep  in  good  condition  for  several  years." 

"The  skins,  as  soon  as  they  are  emptied  of  their  freight 
of  meat,  are  spread,  £esh  side  upward,  on  a  level  piece 
of  ground.  Small  slits  are  cut  in  the  edges  of  each  and 
it  is  stretched  and  fastened  down  by  wooden  pegs  driven 
through  the  slits." 

The  thickest  hides  were  selected  for  shields  and  cases. 
The  hair  was  removed  by  soaking  the  skins  in  a  mixture 
of  wood-ashes  and  water.  The  skin  was  then  cut  into 
the  required  shape,  and  was  almost  as  hard  as  iron.  For 
making  buffalo  robes,  the  skins,  being  too  thick,  were 
reduced  one-half  by  chipping  with  a  tool  like  a  carpen- 
ter's adz.  With  this  the  squaw  chipped  at  the  hard  skin, 
cutting  off  a  thin  shaving  at  each  blow.  It  required  great 
skill  to  make  them  thin  and  smooth  and  not  to  cut  through. 
These  skins  were  then  made  soft  by  being  smeared  with  fat 
and  buffalo  brains,  rubbed  in  with  a  smooth  stone. 

For  making  lodges  or  wigwams,  the  skins  were  treated 
in  much  the  same  manner  as  for  buffalo  robes.  In  a  sim- 
ilar way,  deer  skins  were  beautifully  dressed  for  use  as 
clothing. 

We  here  see  the  Indian  woman  in  the  role  of  butcher, 
meat-packer,  cook,  carrier,  hide-dresser,  tent-maker,  clo- 
thier, shoemaker  and  house-builder. 


Cfr  i  HE 

. 


THE   INDIANS   OF    ILLINOIS  27 

A  Tribe  on  the  Warpath.  The  Indians  wore  some- 
what like  the  Arabs  in  their  migrations.  Several  families 
usually  traveled  together.  Like  wealthy  city  people 
t  )day,  they  had  their  summer  and  winter  residences. 
I'pjn  journeys  they  took  all  their  possessions,  except  that 
at  times  they  hid  certain  articles  in  holes  in  the  ground, 
against  their  return.  Their  wives,  children,  dogs,  ponies, 
and  all  other  property,  they  took  with  them. 

In  the  early  evening  they  were  accustomed  to  encamp, 
pitching  their  wigwams  with  the  same  care  as  if  for  the 
winter.  On  the  march  the  small  children  were  often  tied 
to  pack  saddles  so  they  could  not  fall  off.  The  still  younger 
ones  were  tied  on  cradle-hoards  and,  while  traveling, 
the  boards  were  suspended  by  the  side  of  the  horse.  The 
women  usually  walked. 

The  Indian  did  not  object  to  dirt  in  his  food.  On  his 
journey,  he  often  carried  his  meat  by  running  a  strap 
through  each  piece,  which  was  cut  about  six  inches  square. 
He  then  tied  the  strap  to  the  saddle  with  the  meat  dangling 
by  the  horse's  side,  exposed  to  flies  and  dirt. 

His  Superstitions  and  His  Religion.  The  Indian 
believed  in  ghosts,  and  thought  there  was  somehow  a 
connection  between  spirits  and  fire.  He  believed  in  dreams, 
too,  because  of  which  he  had  many  doubts  and  fears.  The 
hunter  usually  carried  a  small  medicine  bag  hidden  under 
his  clothing.  It  contained  some  relic,  as  a  tooth,  a  bone, 
or  a  claw  of  some  animal,  which  he  thought  .would  protect 
him  from  danger  and  evil  of  every  kind. 

He  believed  also  in  a  Great  Spirit,  which  he  called 
the  ''Master  of  Life,"  to  whom  he  made  sacrifices.  Black 
Hawk,  when  his  nation  was  in  dire  distress  in  1832,  sacri- 
ficed a  dog  every  night,  because  he  thought  the  Great 
Spirit  was  unfriendly  to  him.  The  dog  was  killed  and 
burned  as  it  hung  from  a  tree,  with  its  nose  pointed  in  the 


28  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

direction  they  were  marching.  In  this  manner  he  sought 
to  win  favor  and  protection  from  the  god  of  the  Indian. 

The  red  man  believed,  too,  that  all  his  evils,  such  as 
pain,  disease,  and  death,  came  from  bad  spirits.  To  these 
he  also  sacrificed  when  he  thought  them  unfriendly.  The 
medicine-man  was  supposed  to  know  how  to  control  all 
spirits.  By  dancing  about  a  patient  and  shaking  hideous 
rattles,  he  strove  to  drive  out  the  bad  spirit. 

He  believed  in  a  future  life  somewhere,  with  happy 
hunting-grounds  for  the  good  Indian.  He  often  had  his 
guns,  knives,  and  dogs  buried  with  him,  sometimes  even 
his  horse,  to  use  in  that  glorious  hunt  in  the  next  world. 

He  thought  that  wicked  people  would  go  to  a  cold, 
dreary  land,  where  briars  and  flint  rock  would  tear  the 
flesh  from  their  bones,  and  where  there  would  be  plenty 
of  game,  but  it  would  always  be  just  beyond  their  reach. 

The  Indians  were  careful  about  the  proper  burial  of 
their  dead.  They  had  a  common  graveyard.  When  a 
member  of  the  tribe  died  while  away  from  home,  on  the 
warpath  or  on  a  hunting  trip,  they  hewed  a  trough  out 
of  a  log  in  which  they  placed  the  corpse  and  suspended 
it  from  the  top  of  a  tree,  safe  from  wolves,  until  they 
returned  home.  During  the  war  of  1812,  when  the  Indians 
received  severe  punishment  for  aiding  the  British,  their 
coffins  were  frequently  seen  in  tree-tops  on  the  frontier. 

The  White  Man  and  the  Indian.  When  the  white  man 
came  bringing  ponies,  cloth,  firearms  and  whiskey  to 
exchange  for  furs,  the  Indian  began  to  change  rapidly  in 
many  ways.  He  copied  the  vices  of  the  whites,  but  he 
was  not  able  to  give  up  his  wild  life  for  one  of  settled 
agriculture.  He  was,  therefore,  gradually  pushed  back 
from  the  fertile  valleys  of  Illinois,  until  1832,  when  Black 
Hawk  and  his  tribe  were  the  last  to  be  driven  out  of 
the  state. 


THE  INDIANS  OF  ILLINOIS  29 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  To  what  race  do  the  Indians  of  North  America  belong? 

2.  Can  you  suggest  a  better  name  for  the  red  men  than  "Indians"? 

3.  Name    several    differences     between    savage    and     civilized 
peoples. 

4.  Why  do  white  children  like  to  ''play  Indian"  so  well? 

5.  What  constituted  an  Indian  girl's  education? 

G.  What  were  the  principal  things  an  Indiim  Icy  n.ust  learn? 

7.  Distinguish  between  a  family,  a  tribe,  and  a  nation. 

8.  What  qualities  should  a  good  bow  possess?     II  cw  would  you 
make  one? 

9.  What  great  advantage  in  weapons  did  the  white  men  have? 

LESSON   HELPS 

Rites  and  Ceremonies.  The  religious  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
the  Indians  were  many  and  interesting.  Cr.e  of  these  is  portrayed 
in  MacNeil's  famous  statue,  "The  Sun  Vow."  The  principal  figure 
is  that  of  an  Indian  youth  standing  with  his  left  hand,  holding  a 
bow,  extended  directly  toward  the  sun,  into  which  he  gazes  as  he 
repeats  the  "Sun  Vow"  of  manhood.  Seated  behind  him  is  1  is 
father  whose  gaze  is  also  fixed  on  the  sun,  unf  inchingly.  1  l.c 
sculptor  has  put  into  both  figures  all  the  serious  and  romantic  dig- 
nity of  the  race  and  of  the  occasion. 

Indian  Games.  Football  was  a  popular  game  among  the  Indians. 
Sjmetimes  even  the  squaws  joined  in  the  game.  "In  this  case  rules 
were  made  giving  the  women  certain  advantages;  for  instance,  the 
men  could  use  only  their  feet,  while  the  women  could  use  both  hands 
and  feet  in  the  effort  to  get  the  ball  through  the  goal  posts. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

How  Indians  Compute  Time.    Youth's  Companion,  Vol.  66,  p.  139. 

Indian  History  (Sign  Language).     F.  S.  Lrake. 

Blackfoot  Lodge  Tales.     G.  B.  Grinnell. 

Indian    Medicine.     Popular   Science    Monthly,    Sept.,    1886. 

Myths  of  the  Red  Children.     G.  L.  Wilson. 

The  Way  of  an  Indian.     Frederic  Remington. 

The  Prairie  Schooner.     W.~  E.  Borton. 

First  Americans.     St.  Nicholas,  Vol.  16.  p.  935, 


CHAPTER.   II 


I  found  myself  in  the  blessed  necessity  of  exposing  my  life  for 
th'j  salvation  of  all  these  peoples,  and  especially  of  the  Illinois,  who 
had  very  urgently  entreated  me,  when  I  was  at  the  point  of  St. 
Esprit,  to  carry  the  word  of  God  to  their  country. 

— Father  Marquette'*  Journal. 


MARQUETTE   AND  JOLIET 

The  French  Get  a  Foothold.  The  French  had  declined 
to  help  Columbus  in  his  endeavor  to  find  a  western  route 
to  the  Indies.  But,  no  sooner  had  the  Great  Navigator 
discovered  the  new  world  than  the  French  hastened  to 
lay  hold  of  a  portion  of  the  prize.  French  sailors  soon 
discovered  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  upon  the  rock  of  Quebec 
they  laid  the  foundation  of  a  great  empire  in  America. 

The  Objects  of  the  Frenchmen.  Their  aims  Avere  to 
get  hold  of  more  territory  for  the  king,  to  discover  gold 
and  silver  mines,  and  to  build  up  the  fur  trade  with  the 
natives.  Each  expedition  was  accompanied  by  a  few 
holy  men  called  Jesuit  priests,  whose  sole  ambition  was  to 
teach  Christianity  to  the  heathen  and  to  spread  the  Cath- 
olic religion  among  the  natives  of  the  earth.  No  hard- 
ship was  too  severe,  no  danger  too  hazardous  for  them 
to  undertake.  The  greater  the  sufferings  of  these  loyal 
missionaries,  the  more  they  gloried  in  them. 

France  was  a  Catholic  nation.  She  was  glad  to  aid 
and  protect  the  Jesuits,  \vho  would  in  turn  spread  French 
influence  among  the  Indians,  and,  by  friendly  relations 
with  them,  help  to  build  up  a  rich  fur  trade. 

30 


MARQUETTE    AND    JOLTET 


31 


Jesuits  and  Explorers  Hand-in-Hand.     Missions  were 
soon   established   throughout  the  region  of  the   St.    Law- 


80  V 

->  I 

,V    '(    j>    <'    r    i    o    /•    } 


PORTAGES  BETWEEN  THE  GREAT  LAKES  AND  THE 
MISSISSIPPI  RIVER 

rence  and  Great  Lakes.  Wherever  the  Indians  could  be 
found  in  sufficient  numbers,  hither  came  the  fur  traders 
to  barter  for  peltries,  and  the  faithful  Jesuit  priests  to 


32  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

instil  into  the  savage  heart  something  of  the  Christian 
ideal  of  love  and  peace.  The  French  explorer  and  the 
priest  pushed  out,  hand-in-hand,  to  conquer  the  wilderness. 

Jacques  Marquette.  Among  these  devoted  priests  was 
young  Jacques  Marquette,  who  had  put  aside  a  life  of 
luxury  and  ease  in  France,  in  order  that  he  might  tame 
the  savages  in  the  American  wilderness.  Some  Jesuits 
had  to  give  up  their  work  among  the  Indians  on  account 
of  the  hardships  of  a  life  in  the  forest;  others,  because  they 
could  not  learn  the  Indian  tongues.  Father  Marquette 
was  a  frail  man,  but  with  plenty  of  endurance.  He  worked 
so  diligently  that  he  learned,  in  a  few  years,  to  speak  six 
different  Indian  diahects.  While  trying  to  teach  the  red 
men  of  Lake  Superior,  he  was  visited  by  some  Illinois 
warriors,  from  whom  he  learned  the  difficult  language  of 
that  nation. 

Marquette  Hears  of  the  "Father  of  Waters."  They 
told  him  of  a  mighty  river  toward  the  setting  sun  which 
they  called  the  Mississippi,  or  "Father  of  Waters."  But 
they  could  not  tell  into  what  sea  this  great  river  emptied, 
and  Marquette  was  anxious  to  learn  whether  it  flowed 
into  the  Atlantic,  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  or  the  Pacific.  He 
wished  also  to  start  a  mission  among  the  Illinois  tribes, 
and  won  the  promise  of  his  superior  to  be  permitted  to 
do  this.  But  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  return  to 
Mackinac.  Here  he  found  Louis  Joliet  who  had  been 
sent  by  Frontenac,  Governor  of  Canada,  to  explore  the 
Mississippi. 

The  Explorer  Joliet.  Louis  Joliet  was  just  the  kind 
of  a.  man  to  send  on  this  dangerous  journey  of  thousands 
of  miles  among  hostile  red  men.  He  could  make  shelter- 
huts,  weapons,  sleds,  and  birch  bark  canoes;  he  was  a 
good  hunter,  'fisher,  and  a  fine  cook;  he  could  endure  the 
rough  life  of  the  forests  and  camp;  he  could  talk  in  several 


MARQUETTE   AND   JOLIET  33 

Indian  dialects,  and  he  was  brave  and  tactful  in  dealing 
with  the  savages. 

A  priest  was  always  chosen  to  accompany  exploring 
parties,  and  the  choice  happily  fell  on  Father  Marquette. 
They  spent  the  winter  months  in  making  maps  and  col- 
lecting information  about  the  wild  country  they  were 
about  to  explore.  They  questioned  all  visitors  to  Mackinac, 
Indians,  trappers  and  fur  traders. 

Our  Heroes  Set  Out.  As  soon  as  the  ice  broke  up  in 
the  spring,  they  gathered  a  stock  of  corn  and  smoked 
meat,  and  set  out  from  St.  Ignace  in  two  bark  canoes  with 
five  companions  (May  17,  1673).  Hundreds  of  Hurons, 
Ottawas,  and  other  Indians  gathered  on  the  shore  to  see 
our  heroes  depart.  Marquette  embraced  his  brother 
Jesuits  and  blessed  all  the  people,  red  and  white,  while 
Joliet  shook  hands  with  everybody,  and  with  shouts  of 
good  luck,  they  bent  to  their  paddles,  waving  a  last  adieu. 
Their  route  lay  to  the  westward  along  the  north  shore  of 
Lake  Michigan.  At  night  they  landed,  drew  their  canoes 
up  on  the  shore  and  lighted  a  camp  fire  on  the  edge  of  the 
forest.  The  streams  abounded  with  fish  and  the  forest 
with  game.  After  a  few  days,  they  entered  Green  Bay 
and  paddled  up  the  Menominee  River,  where  they  met  the 
Wild-Rice  Indians.  When  they  told  of  their  plans,  these 
Indians  tried  to  discourage  them,  saying  that  the  banks 
of  the  Mississippi  were  inhabited  by  fierce  tribes  who 
tomahawked  every  stranger  that  came  that  way;  that 
in  a  certain  part  of  the  river  there  lived  a  demon  whose 
roar  could  be  heard  afar  off,  and  that  this  demon  would 
swallow  them.  Besides,  there  were  other  monsters  who 
would  devour  them  and  their  canoes  together. 

On  the  Fox  River.  Marquette  gave  no  heed  to  these 
alarms,  but  having  taught  them  a  prayer,  he  bade  them 
farewell  and  proceeded  up  Green  Bay  to  the  mouth  of 


34.  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

Fox  River,  where  they  found  great  numbers  of  wild  geese, 
ducks,  and  other  fowl.  There  were  marshes  of  wild  rice 
which  furnished  the  Indian  as  well  as  the  fowls  with  food.* 
Canoeing  up  the  Fox  River  was  not  all  pleasure,  for  there 
were  many  rapids  where  the  canoes  had  to  be  unloaded 
and  carried  over  the  steep  portage  paths.  They  found 
many  Indians  here,  for  it  is  always  good  fishing  just  below 
rapids.  Wild  fowl,  bear  and  wild  cat  furnished  an  abund- 
ance of  meat,  and  the  rice  swamps  afforded  grain  without 
much  labor. 

Soon  the  explorers  entered  Lake  Winnebago,  a  most 
charming  body  of  water.  They  passed  on  across  this  lake 
and  up  the  river  through  a  fine  prairie  country,  and  soon 
arrived  at  the  palisaded  village  of  the  Mascoutins,  or 
"Fire  Nation,"  where  Marquette  was  delighted  to  see 
a  cross  erected  by  a  former  missionary.  The  cross  was 
decorated  with  dressed  deer  skins  and  bows  and  arrows, 
which  the  Indians  had  hung  up  to  the  great  Manitou  of 
the  French. 

The  Fire  Nation  Furnishes  Guides.  Being  kindly 
received,  they  called  together  the  chiefs  and  the  elders  and 
told  them  their  mission,  and  asked  for  guides  to  show 
them  the  way  to  the  Wisconsin  River.  The  chiefs  gladly 
furnished  two  guides.  Presents  were  exchanged,  the 
Indians  giving  the  explorers  a  mat  of  woven  reeds  to 
use  as  a  bed.  The  entire  population  came  down  to  the 
shore  to  see  them  off.  They  pushed  on  up  the  river, 
and  soon  reached  the  portage  between  the  two  rivers, 


*Wild  rice  was  gathered  by  shaking  off  the  heads  into  a  canoe. 
These  were  then  dried  over  a  slow  fire,  put  into  bags  made  of  skio 
which  were  placed  in  holes  in  the  ground  and  tramped  upon  until 
the  grain  was  separated  from  the  chaff.  The  grain  was  then  pounded 
into  flour  between  stones.  When  boiled  and  seasoned  with  fat  it 
was  considered  a  great  delicacy. 


AN  OJIBWAY  INDIAN   GIRL 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  or 


MARQUETTE   AND   JOLIET  37 

where  they  had  to  carry  their  canoes  and  supplies  a 
mile  and  a  half  across  the  prairies  to  the  banks  of  the 
Wisconsin.  (See  map,  page  31.) 

On  the  Wisconsin.  On  this  stream  they  embarked,  not 
knowing  where  it  would  carry  them,  whether  to  Virginia, 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  or  the  Gulf  of  California.  "They 
glided  calmly  down  this  tranquil  stream.  At  night  the 
bivouac,  the  canoes  inverted  on  the  bank,  the  flickering 
fire,  the  meal  of  bison  flesh  or  venison,  the  evening  pipes 
and  slumber  beneath  the  stars;  and  when  in  the  morning 
they  embarked  again,  the  mist  hung  on  the  river  like  a 
bridal  veil,  then  melted  before  the  sun." 

Drifting  upon  the  Mississippi.  On  June  17th,  after  a 
voyage  of  seven  days,  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the 
Wisconsin,  and  with  great  joy  paddled  out  on  the  Miss- 
issippi. Southward  they  journeyed  on  the  slow  and  gentle 
current,  between  wooded  hills  and  amid  picturesque  scenery 
and  beautiful  islands.  "We  saw,"  says  Marquette  in 
his  journal,  "only  deer  and  cattle,  bustards  (geese),  and 
swans  without  wings,  because  they  drop  their  plumage  in 
this  country."  They  were  on  the  lookout  for  the  "horrible 
monsters"  described  by  the  Indians.  "From  time  to 
time  we  came  upon  monstrous  fish,  one  of  which  struck 
our  canoe  with  such  violence  that  I  thought  it  was  a 
great  tree,  about  to  break  the  canoe  to  pieces."  At  length 
buffalo  appeared  in  great  numbers,  grazing  on  the  prairies. 
They  saw  at  times  four  or  five  hundred  in  one  herd. 
Marquette  describes  the  fierce  and  stupid  looks  of  the  old 
bulls  as  they  stared  through  the  tangled  manes  which 
nearly  blinded  them. 

There  had  been  no  trace  of  human  beings  for  a  long 
distance,  but  they  were  very  cautious.  They  landed  in 
the  evening,  cooked  their  meal,  put  out  the  fire  and  pad- 
dled along  some  distance  before  they  stopped  for  the 


US  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

night.  They  anchored  out  in  I  he  stream  to  prevent 
surprise,  leaving  a,  sentinel  on  guard. 

Footprints  of  Red  Men.  At  length  they  discovered 
footprints  in  the  mud  en  the  bank,  and  a  well-trodden 
path  which  they  resolved  to  follow.  They  left  their  com- 
panions to  guard  the  canoes,  while  Joliet  and  Marquette 
started  across  the  prairie.  They  soon  came  in  sight  of 
an  Indian  village,  and  without  being  discovered,  advanced 
till  they  could  hear  the  Indian  voices  among  the  wig- 
wams. Then  they  stood  out  in  clear  view  and  shouted. 
There  was  a  great  stir  in  the  village.  "The  inmates  swarmed 
out  of  their  huts,  and  four  of  the  chief  men  presently  came 
forward  to  meet  the  strangers,  advancing  very  deliberately 
and  holding  up  toward  the  sun  two  calumets  or  peace  pipes, 
decorated  with  feathers.  They  stopped  abruptly  before  the 
two  Frenchmen,  and  stood  gazing  at  them  without  speaking 
a  word." 

The  Peace  Pipe  Offered.  Marquette  was  much 
relieved  on  seeing  that  they  wore  French  cloth,  whence 
he  judged  that  they  must  be  friends  and  allies.  He  broke 
the  silence  and  asked  them  in  their  own  language,  "who 
they  were;  whereupon  they  answered  that  they  were 
Illinois,  and  offered  the  peace  pipe;  which  having  been 
duly  smoked,  they  all  went  together  to  the  village." 
Here  the  chief  received  them  in  a  strange  manner,  and  in 
his  way,  tried  to  honor  them.  "He  stood  stark  naked  in 
the  door  of  his  wigwam,  holding  up  both  hands,  as  if  to 
shield  his  eyes.  'Frenchmen,  how  bright  the  sun  shines 
when  you  come  to  visit  us!  All  our  village  awaits  you; 
and  you  shall  enter  our  wigwams  in  peace.'  So  saying- 
he  led  them  into  his  own,  which  was  crowded  to  suffoca- 
tion with  savages,  staring  at  their  guests  in  silence." 

The  Great  Chief  Visited.  "Having  smoked  with 
chiefs  and  old  men,  they  were  invited  to  visit  the  great 


MARQUETTE   AND   JULIET  39 

chief  of  ;ill  the  Illinois,  at  one  of  the  villages  they  had 
seen  in  the  distance;  and  thither  they  proceeded,  followed 
by  a  throng  of  warriors,  squaws  and  children.  On  arriving, 
they  were  forced  to  smoke  again,  and  listen  to  a  speech  of 
welcome  from  the  great  chief,  who  delivered  it  standing 
between  two  old  men,  naked  like  himself."  His  lodge  was 
crowded  with  the  chief  men  of  the  tribe.  Marquette 
addressed  them,  saying  that  he  was  a  messenger  sent  by 
the  God  who  had  made  them  and  whom  they  ought  to 
obey.  He  told  them  about  the  power  and  glory  of  Count 
Frontenac,  and  asked  about  the  Mississippi  and  the  tribes 
he  was  about  to  visit  along  its  banks.  "The  chief  replied 
in  a  speech  of  compliment;  assuring  his  guests  that  their 
.presence  added  flavor  to  his  tobacco,  made  the  river  more 
calm,  the  sky  more  serene,  and  the  earth  more  beautiful." 
He  gave  them  a  young  slave  and  a  peace  pipe,  and  begged 
them  at  the  same  time  to  abandon  their  purpose  of  going 
farther  down  the  Mississippi. 

A  Delicious  Feast.  "A  feast  of  four  courses  followed. 
First,  a  wooden  bowl  full  of  porridge  of  Indian  meal  boiled 
with  grease  was  set  before  the  guests;  and  the  master  of 
ceremonies  fed  them  in  turn,  like  infants,  with  a  large 
spoon.  Then  appeared  a  platter  of  fish,  and  the  same 
'server'  carefully  removed  the  bones  with  his  fingers, 
and  blowing  on  the  morsels  to  cool  them,  placed  them 
in  the  mouths  of  the  two  Frenchmen.  A  large  dog,  killed 
and  cooked  for  the  occasion,  was  placed  before  them"; 
but,  since  they  did  not  seem  to  relish  this  food,  it  was 
removed,  and  a  dish  of  fat  buffalo  meat  served  as  a  last 
course.  The  crowd  then  dispersed,  and  buffalo  robes  were 
spread  on  the  ground.  Marquette  and'Joliet  spent  the 
night  here.  "In  the  morning,  the  chief  with  some  six 
hundred  of  his  tribesmen,  escorted  them  to  their  canoes, 
and  bade  them,  after  their  stolid  fashion,  a  friendly  farewell." 


40  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  Voyagers  See  the  Indian  Gods.  They  paddled 
and  drifted  slowly  on  down  the  river,  past  the  mouth  of 
the  Illinois.  Soon  they  came  upon  a  sight  which  filled 
them  with  fear.  "Upon  the  flat  face  of  a  high  rock  were 
painted  in  red,  black,  and  green,  two  monsters,  each  as 
large  as  a  calf,  with  horns  like  a  deer,  red  eyes,  and  a  beard 
like  a  tiger's,  and  a  frightful  expression  of  countenance. 
The  face  is  something  like  that  of  a  man,  the  body  covered 
with  scales;  and  the  tail  so  long  that  it  passed  entirely 
around  the  body,  over  the  head  and  between  the  legs,  ending 
like  that  of  a  fish,"  writes  Marquette.  These  represented 
the  Indian  Gods,  or  Manitous. 

Pass  the  Missouri  and  the  Ohio.  In  a  few  days  they 
passed  the  mouth  of  a  great  muddy  river  from  the  unknown 
West,  called  by  the  Indians,  Missouri.  Its  mad  rush 
into  the  Mississippi  almost  upset  their  canoes.  On  they 
went  by  the  lonely  forest  where  now  stands  the  great  city 
of  St.  Louis.  Soon  they  saw  on  the  east  bank  the  mouth 
of  a  splendid  river  which  the  Iroquois  had  named  the 
Ohio,  the  Indian  word  for  "Beautiful  River."  As  they 
floated  on  towards  the  south,  the  heat  became  so  intense 
that  they  had  to  crouch  in  the  shade  of  sails  put  up  as 
awnings.  The  banks  of  the  Mississippi  being  swampy, 
were  breeding  places  for  mosquitoes  without  number, 
and  these  gave  our  heroes  no  rest.  They  passed  some 
friendly  Indians  who  delighted  them  with  the  information 
that  they  would  reach  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  in  ten 
days.  But  this  was  far  from  true,  for  it  was  still  a  thousand 
miles  distant. 

Arrival  at  the  Arkansas.  Again  they  set  forth,  floating 
and  paddling  by  turns,  through  miles  and  miles  of  trackless 
wilderness,  with  no  trace  of  man.  After  canoeing  three 
hundred  miles  more,  they  approached  the  mouth  of  the 
Arkansas.  Here  they  beheld  a  cluster  of  wigwams  on  the 


MARQUETTE   AND   JOLIET  41 

west  bank.  "Their  inmates  were  all  astir,  yelling  the  war- 
whoop,  snatching  their  weapons,  and  running  to  the  shore 
to  meet  the  strangers,"  who  were  badly  frightened.  Several 
canoes  filled  with  savages  were  putting  out  from  the  shore, 
above  and  below  them,  to  cut  off  their  retreat,  while  a 
swarm  of  headstrong  young  warriors  waded  into  the  water 
to  attack  them.  The  current  proved  too  strong;  and  failing 
to  reach  the  canoes  of  the  Frenchmen,  one  of  them  threw 
his  war-club,  which  flew  over  the  heads  of  the  startled 
travelers.  Meanwhile,  Marquette  had  not  ceased  to  hold 
up  his  peace  pipe  given  him  by  the  Illinois,  but  the  excited 
crowd  gave  no  heed.  They  strung  their  bows  and  notched 
their  arrows  for  immediate  action. 

Saved  by  the  Peace  Pipe.  When  at  length  the  elders 
of  the  village  arrived  and  saw  the  peace  pipe,  they  quieted 
the  young  men,  and  invited  the  Frenchmen  to  come  ashore. 
Marquette  and  his  companions  did  so,  trembling  with  fear. 
They  were  more  kindly  received  than' they  expected.  One 
of  the  Indians  spoke  a  little  Illinois,  and  through  him  they 
had  a  friendly  conference,  followed  by  a  feast.  The 
Frenchmen  spent  the  night  here  in  the  lodges  of  their  hosts. 

Meeting  with  the  Arkansas  Nation.  Early  in  the 
morning  they  passed  on  down  to  a  village  of  the  Arkansas 
tribe,  about  twenty-four  miles  below.  "Notice  of  their 
coming  was  sent  before  them  by  their  late  hosts;  and  as 
they  drew  near,  they  were  met  by  a  canoe,  in  the  prow  of 
which  stood  a  naked  Indian,  holding  a  peace  pipe,  singing 
and  making  si^ns  of  friendship." 

On  reaching  the  village,  which  was  on  the  east  bank, 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansas,  they  were  conducted 
to  a  sort  of  scaffold  before  the  lodge  of  the  war-chief. 
The  space  beneath  had  been  prepared  for  their  reception, 
the  ground  being  covered  with  rush  mats.  On  these  they 
were  seated,  and  the  warriors  sat  around  them  in  a  semi- 


42  THE    STORY    OF    ILLINOIS 

circle;  then  the  elders  of  the  tribe;  and  then  the  pro- 
miscuous crowd  of  villagers,  standing  and  staring  over  the 
heads  of  the  more  dignified  members  of  the  assembly.  All 
the  men  were  naked;  but  to  compensate  for  the  lack  of 
clothing,  they  wore  strings  of  beads  in  their  noses  and  ears. 

Our  Heroes  Resolve  to  Return.  "The  travelers  now 
held  a  council  as  to  what  course  they  should  take.  They 
had  gone  far  enough,  as  they  thought,  to  establish  one 
important  point:  that  the  Mississippi  discharged  its 
waters,  not  into  the  Atlantic  or  the  Sea  of  Virginia,  nor 
into  the  Gulf  of  California,  but  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
They  thought  themselves  nearer  to  its  mouth  than  they 
actually  were,  the  distance  being  still  about  seven  hun- 
dred miles;  and  they  feared  that  if  they  went  farther,  they 
might  be  killed  by  Indians  or  captured  by  Spaniards, 
whereby  the  results  of  their  discovery  would  be  lost. 
Therefore  they  resolved  to  return  to  Canada  and  report 
what  they  had  seen." 

Toiling  up  the  Mississippi.  So,  on  July  17th,  they 
began  their  homeward  voyage.  "It  was  no  easy  task 
to  urge  their  way  upward,  in  the  heat  of  midsummer, 
against  the  current  of  the  dark  and  gloomy  stream,  toiling 
all  day  in  the  parching  sun  and  sleeping  at  night  on  the 
swampy  and  unhealthy  shore,  or  in  their  narrow  little  canoes 
anchored  in  the  river."  Marquette  was  taken  sick.  Still, 
"day  after  day,  and  week  after  week,  they  won  their  slow 
way  northward." 

Upon  the  Beautiful  Illinois.  "At  length  they  reached 
the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  and  entering  it  followed  its  course, 
charmed  as  they  went  with  its  shady  forests  and  its  rich 
plains,  grazed  by  the  bison  and  the  deer."  They  stopped 
at  the  chief  village  of  the  Illinois,  then  called  Kaskaskia.* 


*Not  the  village  founded  later  by  the  French  near  the  Mississippi. 


MAKQUETTE   AND   JOLIET  43 

A  band  of  warriors  offered  to  guide  them  to  the  lake  of 
the  Illinois,  that  is  to  say,  Lake  Michigan.  They  proceeded 
by  the  way  of  the  Illinois,  the  Des  Plaines,  and  the  Chicago 
Rivers  to  Lake  Michigan,  and  coasting  its  shores,  they 
arrived  at  the  mission  of  Green  Bay  in  September.  During 
the  four  months  since  they  had  left  this  mission  they  had 
traveled  2,500  miles.  Here  Marquette  spent  the  winter 
trying  to  recover  his  health,  while  Joliet  hastened  to  bear 
the  report  of  his  discovery  to  Count  Frontenac  at  Quebec. 

Marquette  Sets  out  for  the  Illinois  Again.  It  was  a 
year  before  Marquette  had  regained  his  health  and  strength. 
The  strong  desire  to  establish  a  mission  on  the  Illinois 
still  urged  him  on.  He  obtained  permission  from  his 
superiors,  and  with  two  companions  named  Pierre  and 
Jacques,  one  of  whom  had  been  with  him  on  his  great  jour- 
ney of  discovery,  he  set  out  for  the  chief  village  of  the 
Illinois.  They  coasted  south  along  the  shore  of  Lake 
Michigan,  entered  the  Chicago  River  and  followed  its 
course  for  some  six  miles,  when  Marquette's  disease 
attacked  him  in  a  more  severe  form,  and  it  was  impossible 
to  proceed  farther.  The  two  men  built  a  hut  by  the  river 
and  prepared  to  spend  the  winter  there.  Pierre  and 
Jacques  provided  buffalo,  deer,  and  wild  turkey  for  food. 
Visiting  Indians  sometimes  brought  corn  and  game.  Here 
French  traders  came  upon  them  too,  and  befriended  them. 

Mission  Established.  Marquette,  too  weak  to  work, 
spent  much  time  in  prayer.  He  knew  this  would  be  his 
last  journey,  but  he  eagerly  longed  to  lay  the  foundations 
of  his  mission  before  he  died.  Growing  stronger,  they 
crossed  the  portage  to  the  Des  Plaines  and  paddled  south- 
ward till  they  came  to  the  Illinois  River,  which  they  followed 
till  they  reached  the  chief  town  of  the  Illinois  Indians, 
near  Starved  Rock.  Here  Marquette  says  he  was  received 
"like  an  angel  from  Heaven."  He  passed  from  wigwam  to 


44  THE    STORY    OF    ILLINOIS 

wigwam,  teaching  the  truths  of  the  Christian  religion.  The 
beauty  of  his  character  took  strong  hold  on  these  savage 
minds,  and  they  begged  him  to  remain  with  them. 

On  His  Last  Journey.  Reading  that  his  health  was 
gone,  and  that  he  had  not  long  to  live,  Marquette  started 
on  his  last  journey,  accompanied  by  a  crowd  of  Indians 
as  far  as  Lake  Michigan.  His  two  companions  rowed 
north  along  the  east  shore,  hoping  to  reach  Mackinac. 
But  Marquette  felt  that  his  hour  was  near,  and  as  they 
passed  a  small  stream  he  requested  them  to  land.  They 
did  so,  built  a  shed  near  the  shore,  and  carried  the  dying 
Jesuit  to  it.  He  calmly  told  them  how  he  wished  to  be 
buried,  asked  their  forgiveness  for  all  the  trouble  he  had 
caused  them,  and  thanked  God  that  he  was  permitted 
to  die  in  the  wilderness,  a  faithful  missionary  and  a  Jesuit. 
They  dug  a  grave  beside  the  hut,  and  here  they  buried 
him,  as  he  had  directed,  then  made  their  way  to  Mackinac 
to  bear  the  tidings  to  the  priests  at  the  mission. 

Marquette's  Final  Resting  Place.  Some  years  later,  a 
party  of  Ottawa  Indians  was  hunting  on  Lake  Michigan, 
and  when  they  returned  home  they  carried  the  bones  of 
Marquette,  who  had  been  their  teacher.  Opening  the 
grave,  they  washed  and  dried  the  bones  and  placed  them  in 
a  box  of  birch  bark.  "Then  in  a  procession  of  thirty  canoes 
they  bore  it,  singing  their  funeral  songs,  to  St.  Ignace, 
where  they  buried  it  beneath  the  floor  of  the  little  chapel 
of  the  mission." 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  What  reasons  led  the  French  nation  to  seize  a  part  of  the  new 
world? 

2.  What  motives  induced  the  Jesuit  fathers  to  visit  America? 

3.  What  mutual  interests  of  the  church  and  the  state  led  the 
priest  and  the  explorer  to  go  hand-in-hand? 


OF  THE 

' 


MAKQUETTE  AND  JOLIET  47 

4.  Whicli  has  done  most   to  advance  the  cause  of  civilization, 
the  zeal  of  the  missionary,  the  love  of  conquest,  or  the  desire  for 
wealth? 

5.  Write  a  short  description  of  an  Indian  canoe  and  its  part 
in  the  settlement  of  America. 

6.  Trace  the  route  of  Marquette  and  Joliet  on  the  map.     Imagine 
this  route  to  be  divided  into  125  days'  journeys  of  twenty  miles  each, 
and  you  will  realize  the  stupendous  task  they  accomplished. 

LESSON    HELPS 

The  Birch-bark  Canoe.  The  birch-bark  canoe  was  light,  strong, 
and  easily  propelled.  It  made  the  Indian  master  of  every  lake, 
river,  and  stream.  Wherever  there  were  water-ways  he  could  travel 
quickly,  silently,  and  with  little  effort.  If  he  liked,  he  could  go  in 
his  own  private  conveyance  from  the  source  of  the  Ohio  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  or  from  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Niagara. 

— D.  H.  MONTGOMERY. 

The  Wild  Oat.  The  wild  oat,  whose  name  they  bear  because 
it  is  found  in  their  country,  is  a  sort  of  grass,  which  grows  naturally 
in  the  small  rivers  with  muddy  bottoms,  and  in  swampy  places. 
It  greatly  resembles  the  wild  oats  that  grow  amid  our  wheat.  The 
cars  grow  upon  hollow  stems,  jointed  at  intervals;  they  emerge  from 
the  water  about  the  month  of  June,  and  continue  growing  till  they 
rise  about  two  feet  above  it.  The  grain  is  not  larger  than  that  of 
our  oats,  but  it  is  twice  as  long,  and  the  meal  therefrom  is  much  more 
abundant.  — FATHER  MARQUETTE. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Explorations  and  Discoveries  of  Marquette  and  Joliet.  Harper's 
Magazine,  Vol.  Ill,  Pages  74-82. 

Old  South  Leaflets.     Vol.  2,  No.  46. 

Father  Marquette.     Thwaites. 

France  in  America.     Thwaites. 

La  Salle  and  the  Great  West.     Parkman,  Pages  48-87. 

Making  of  the  Great  West.     Drake,  Pages  85-92. 


CHAPTER   III 

Service  with  La  Salle  means  the  hardest  marching  and  heaviest 
labor  a  voyageur  ever  undertook.  I  have  heard  he  is  himself  tough 
as  iron.  But  men  hereabouts  who  have  been  in  his  service  will  take 
to  the  woods  when  they  hear  he  has  arrived. 

— MARY  HARTWELL  CATHERWOOD. 

ROBERT   CAVELIER   DE   LA   SALLE 

Our  Hero  Becomes  a  Jesuit.  Robert  Cavelier,  Sieur  de 
La  Salle  was  born  of  a  rich  family  at  Rouen,  France,  in 
1643.  As  he  grew  toward  manhood,  his  mind  became 
filled  with  a  desire  to  win  glory  and  to  make  a  name  for 
himself.  He  had  heard  of  the  heroic  lives  of  the  Jesuits 
in  the  American  forests,  and,  since  he  liked  to  study,  he 
entered  a  Jesuit  school,  where  he  proved  himself  an 
apt  scholar. 

But  this  life  was  not  to  his  liking,  because  the  rules 
of  the  order  were  very  strict,  and  he  had  to  obey  his 
superiors.  He  wished  rather  to  be  a  leader  himself,  and 
to  tell  others  what  to  do.  So  he  parted  from  the  Jesuits 
and,  having  lost  his  right  to  inherit  his  father's  wealth 
because  of  his  connection  with  this  sect,  he  set  out  for  the 
wilds  of  America  to  make  his  fortune. 

La  Salle  at  Montreal.  We  soon  find  him  at  Montreal, 
then  the  most  dangerous  place  in  Canada,  because  it  was 
exposed  to  the  frequent  inroads  of  the  Iroquois.  They 
had  been  bitter  enemies  of  the  French  since  the  days  when 
Champlain  fought  with  the  Algonquins  against  them. 
But  they  had  recently  been  punished  by  the  French  and 
forced  to  make  peace.  There  was  no  knowing  what  hour 


ROBERT  CAVELIER  DE  LA  SALLE    49 

they  might  break  out  again,  and  no  man  could  venture  into 
the  forest  without  taking  his  life  in  his  hands. 

La  Salle  Longs  to  Explore  the  Wilderness.  La  Salle 
was  given  a  grant  of  land  at  La  Chine,  eight  miles  above 
Montreal,  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  This  dangerous  outpost 
was  exposed  to  Indian  tomahawks,  but  it  was  a  fine  loca- 
tion for  fur  trading.  Here  he  built  a  palisaded  village 
and  granted  land  to  settlers  in  small  tracts.  He  studied 
the  Indian  language  so  diligently  that  within  two  or 
three  years  he  could  speak  the  Iroquois  and  seven  or  eight 
other  dialects.  Many  Indian  visitors  came  to  see  him  at 
La  Chine,  bringing  their  furs  to  exchange  for  European 
finery,  trinkets  and  goods.  They  told  him  much  about 
the  wild  and  lonely  country  toward  the  sunset.  His  mind 
became  filled  with  an  intense  longing  to  explore  this  great 
pathless  wilderness.  He  hoped  he  might  find  a  passage 
to  the  South  Sea  (Gulf  of  California),  and  a  new  road  for 
commerce  to  the  riches  of  China  and  Japan. 

First  Hears  of  the  Ohio.  A  band  of  Seneca-Iroquois 
once  spent  the  winter  with  him.  They  told  him  about  the 
Ohio — a  river  in  their  country  which  flowed  into  the  sea 
so  far  away  that  it  required  a  journey  of  many  months  to 
reach  its  mouth.  No  white  man  had  ever  yet  seen  the 
Ohio.  La  Salle  thought  it  might  flow  into  the  Gulf  of 
California,  and,  if  so,  it  would  give  him  the  longed-for 
passage  to  China. 

The  First  White  Man  Sees  the  Ohio.  He  determined 
to  explore  this  river,  and  hastened  to  Quebec  to  lay  his 
plans  before  Frontenac.  He  won  the  Governor's  permis- 
sion to  make  the  trip,  provided  he  bore  the  entire  expense. 
La  Salle  had  no  money,  but  he  concluded  to  sell  his  prop- 
erty at  La  Chine,  which  he  did.  He  then  bought  four 
canoes  and  the  supplies  he  needed,  and  hired  fourteen 
men.  Others  joined  the  party,  and  they  started  from  La 


50  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

Chine,  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  guided  by  the  Indians.  They 
coasted  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Ontario  till  they  arrived 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara. 

Everything  seemed  to  go  wrong.  Some  of  the  party 
would  not  follow  La  Salle.  The  Iroquois  were  unfriendly 
and  refused  to  furnish  guides.  They  told  him  that  the 
Indians  along  that  river  would  take  his  scalp.  La  Salle 
knew  no  such  word  as  fear.  He  had  a  will  like  iron,  and  his 
heart  was  set  on  the  success  of  the  expedition.  Some  of 
his  party  left  him  to  return  to  Canada,  while  others  went 
westward  along  the  Great  Lakes.  La  Salle  made  his  way 
with  an  Indian  guide  from  a  friendly  tribe  to  the  head  waters 
of  the  Ohio,  and  floated  down  as  far  as  the  falls  at  Louis- 
ville. Soon  the  news  of  Marquette's  explorations  reached 
his  ears,  and  he  became  convinced  that  the  Mississippi 
flowed,  not  west  into  the  Gulf  of  California,  but  south  into 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  that  he  could  win  undying  glory 
by  seizing  this  magnificent  valley  for  France. 

The  Great  Plans  of  La  Salle.  He  would  discover  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  build  a  fort  there,  and  thus  keep 
out  both  the  English  and  Spanish,  and  at  the  same  time 
make  it  safe  for  the  ships  of  France  to  navigate  on  the 
Mississippi  and  its  tributaries. 

La  Salle  learned  from  the  Indians,  as  did  Marquette, 
that  the  Mississippi  was  so  far  south  that  it  would  not 
freeze  during  the  winter,  and  that  the  French  could  traffic 
with  the  Indians  there  at  all  seasons.  Fortunes  could 
soon  be  made  in  hides  of  buffalo  and  furs,  and  at  the  same 
time  France  would  gain  a  vast  continent.  Perhaps  La 
Salle  thought  he  might  obtain  command  of  this  fort,  and 
so  become  immensely  rich  by  controlling  all  of  this  trade. 

Frontenac  a  Friend  to  La  Salle.  He  must  first  win 
the  support  of  the  authorities  in  Canada  and  obtain  money, 
for  it  would  require  vast  means  to  carry  out  Kis  plans. 


ROBERT   CAVELIER    DE    LA   SALLE          51 

He  returned  to  Canada  and  conferred  with  Frontenac  who 
had  recently  come  to  America,  a  ruined  man,  bent  on  mend- 
ing his  fortune.  Frontenac  had  built  a  fort  on  Lake  Ontario, 
where  Kingston  now  stands,  and  by  this  means  had  cut  off 
the  rich  fur  trade  that  had  been  going  on  with  the  English 
and  Dutch  on  the  Hudson.  All  the  profits  of  this  splendid 
business  now  fell  to  him.  The  other  merchants  and  traders 
of  Canada,  chafing  because  they  had  no  part  in  this  trade, 
became  bitter  enemies  of  the  Governor  and  also  of  La 
Salle,  who  took  sides  with  Frontenac. 

Louis  XIV.  Bestows  a  Blessing  but  No  Money.  La  Salle 
returned  to  France  armed  with  letters  of  praise  from 
Frontenac,  and  was  kindly  received  at  the  court  of  Louis 
XIV.  The  explorer  made  two  requests  of  the  king.  He 
wished  to  receive  a  title  of  nobility  because  of  his  explora- 
tions, and  to  be  made  commander  of  this  new  fort  on 
Lake  Ontario,  which  he  named  Fort  Frontenac.  La  Salle 
offered  to  pay  back  to  the  king  all  the  fort  cost,  to  main- 
tain the  fort,  pay  the  soldiers  there,  as  well  as  the  laborers, 
to  build  a  church  and  to  support  friars — all  at  his  own 
expense.  The  King  granted  both  petitions,  and  La  Salle 
returned  to  Canada  a  noble,  and  commander  at  Fort 
Frontenac,  where  he  might  easily  amass  a  fortune  by 
controlling  the  greater  part  of  the  Canadian  fur  trade. 
Frontenac,  of  course,  shared  in  this  good  fortune. 

La  Salle  Rebuilds  Fort  Frontenac.  But  La  Salle  was 
not  satisfied  with  mere  riches.  He  had  not  sought  control 
at  Frontenac  for  the  sole  object  of  wealth,  but  partly 
because  it  was  a  step  toward  his  plan  of  getting  control 
of  the  Mississippi  valley,  and  planting  a  colony  there. 
He  had  no  doubt  made  much  money  at  Frontenac,  but  he 
had  also  spared  no  pains  to  fulfill  the  conditions  under 
which  it  was  granted  to  him.  He  had  rebuilt  the  fort  of 
stone,  constructed  a  guard  house,  a  lodging,  a  forge,  a 


£2  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

mill  and  a  bakery.  Nine  cannon  were  mounted  upon  the 
walls. 

La  Salle  Makes  Enemies.  At  the  same  time  he  had 
made  many  bitter  enemies.  All  the  traders  in  the  country 
joined  against  him  for  monopolizing  the  fur  trade,  and 
"Canada  became  for  him  a  nest  of  hornets,  buzzing  in 
wrath,  and  watching  the  moment  to  sting." 

The  Jesuits  troubled  Frontenac  because  he  preferred 
other  priests  to  them,  and  he  paid  them  back  in  the  same 
coin.  They  naturally  had  no  love  for  La  Salle  either,  for 
these  two  were  usurping  most  of  the  power  in  Canada  that 
had  formerly  rested  with  the  Jesuits.  When  La  Salle's 
plan  of  exploring  and  colonizing  the  West  was  known, 
the  Jesuit  opposition  took  deep  root,  for  they  sought  con- 
trol over  this  same  region. 

Louis  XIV.  Again  Smiles  on  La  Salle.  La  Salle  now 
believed  the  time  ripe  to  push  his  plans.  He  left  the  fort 
in  charge  of  a  lieutenant  and  set  sail  for  France,  1677. 
His  enemies  had  sent  word  before  him  that  he  was  fit  only 
for  a  madhouse.  But  friends  pleaded  his  cause  before 
the  King,  who  gave  him  permission  to  explore  the  West, 
to  build  other  forts  upon  the  same  conditions  as  that  at 
Fort  Frontenac,  and  to  find  a  route  to  Mexico.  La  Salle 
was  to  bear  the  entire  expense.  The  powerful  Louis  XIV. 
wanted  all  the  land  he  could  get  in  America,  if  some  one 
else  would  pay  the  bills. 

To  carry  out  La  Salle's  plans  would  require  an  enormous 
sum  of  money.  He  did  not  have  the  funds  himself,  but 
succeeded  in  borrowing  a  vast  amount  from  relatives  and 
friends  in  France.  He  also  mortgaged  Fort  Frontenac. 
He  was  staking  his  own  fortune  and  that  of  every  one  who 
would  loan  him,  on  the  success  of  his  undertaking.  La 
Salle  himself  believed,  and  he  convinced  others,  that  there 
would  be  great  profits  and  little  risk  in  it. 


ROBERT   CAVELIER   DE   LA   SALLE  53 

A  Faithful  Lieutenant.  While  at  Paris,  La  Salic  met 
and  attached  to  himself  an  Italian  officer,  Henri  de  Tonty, 
who  had  lost  a  hand  in  the  war  of  Sicily.  This  hand  had 
been  replaced  by  one  of  iron  which  he  often  used  with 
great  force  upon  his  enemies.  Tonty  came  to  be  called 
in  America  the  "Man  with  the  Iron  Hand."  He  was  the 
one  man  who  remained  true  to  La  Salle  to  the  last. 

La  Salle  also  met  in  France  a  man  named  La  Motte, 
whom  he  invited  to  join  his  expedition.  With  these  two 
La  Salle  returned  to  Quebec,  where  he  made  a  league 
with  some  Canadian  merchants,  in  order  to  further  add 
to  his  resources. 

Two  Ships  Planned.  La  Salle's  band  of  ship- 
carpenters,  blacksmiths,  pilots,  sailors  and  priests  gathered 
at  Fort  Frontenac  with  the  iron,  cordage  and  anchors 
for  two  vessels,  one  of  which  was  to  be  built  on  Lake  Erie 
above  Niagara  Falls,  and  the  other  on  the  Mississippi. 
Father  Hennepin  joined  the  party  and  became  its  historian. 

Off  to  the  West.  La  Motte  and  Hennepin,  with  sixteen 
men,  set  sail  in  advance  in  a  little  vessel  bound  for  the 
Niagara  River.  After  a  stormy  and  dangerous  voyage  they 
entered  this  river,  on  December  5th,  and  landed  near  a 
village  of  the  Senecas,  attracted  there  by  the  fisheries. 
Hennepin  with  several  others  started  up  the  Niagara  in 
canoes,  to  explore.  The  fury  of  the  mighty  rapids  drove 
them  ashore.  They  pushed  on  afoot  up  the  steep  heights 
through  the  wintry  forests,  until  they  beheld  the  magnifi- 
cent cataract. 

La  Motte  now  began  building  a  fortified  house  a  few 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  Niagara,  some  ten  miles  below 
the  falls.  Hot  water  was  necessary  to  soften  the  frozen 
ground,  but  this  was  not  their  only  trouble,  for  the  neigh- 
boring Senecas  grew  sullen  and  unfriendly.  By  controlling 
the  Niagara,  the  Indians  Lad  possession  of  a  profitable 


54  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

fur  trade  carried  OP  between  the  four  great  lakes  to  the 
west  and  the  Dutch  and  English  at  Albany. 

La  Motte  and  the  Senecas.  La  Motte  saw  the  necessity 
of  making  friends  with  these  powerful  tribes,  and  getting 
their  consent  to  the  erection  of  his  fortified  warehouse, 
and  to  the  building  of  a  ship  on  Lake  Erie.  So,  with 
many  valuable  presents  and  heavily  armed  with  guns,  La 
Motte  and  Hennepin  set  forth  on  a  five-day  march  toward 
the  great  village  of  the  Senecas,  situated  near  the  present 
site  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.  Upon  arriving,  they  were  con- 
ducted to  the  lodge  of  the  great  head  chief  about  whom 
were  squatted  on  the  ground,  forty-two  other  chiefs  clothed 
in  robes  of  beaver,  wolf  or  black  squirrel  skin.  La  Motte 
tried  with  all  his  power  to  persuade  the  Indians  that  his 
plans  would  benefit  them.  He  "placed  gift  upon  gift  at 
their  feet — coats,  scarlet  cloth,  hatchets,  knives  and  beads." 
They  gladly  accepted  the  gifts,  but  when  pressed  for  their 
consent,  they  hung  back.  The  presence  among  them  of 
two  Jesuit  priests  perhaps  accounts  for  their  refusal.  The 
party  returned  unsuccessful  and  half-famished  to  Niagara. 

La  Salle  Successful.  They  had  no  sooner  left  the 
Indian  village,  when  La  Salle  and  Tonty  arrived  at  this  very 
spot.  La  Salle  was  on  his  way  from  Fort  Frontenac  to 
join  La  Motte,  but  after  an  unlucky  voyage  he  had  landed 
near  these  Indians.  Always  skillful  in  dealing  writh  the  red 
men,  La  Salle  won  over  the  Senecas  to  his  plans. 

La  Salle' s  Troubles  Begin.  A  few  days  later  the  pilot 
left  in  charge  of  the  vessel,  while  La  Salle  was  exploring 
the  Niagara,  disobeyed  orders  and  wrecked  the  ship  on 
the  shore.  Little  was  saved  except  the  anchors  and  cables 
for  the  new  vessel.  This  was  a  bitter  disappointment  to 
La  Salle,  and  anyone  but  him,  says  Hennepin,  would  have 
been  so  downcast  as  to  have  given  up  the  enterprise.  His 
quarrelsome,  jealous  crew  of  French,  Dutch  and  Italians 


ft 


STATUK    OF    LA    SALLK,    LINCOLN    PARK,   (CHICAGO 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
UlflYERSmr  OF  H'_ 


ROBERT   CAVELIER    DE   LA   SALLE  57 

was  discouraged  and  hard  to  manage  because  his  enemies 
had  tampered  with  them.  La  Motte  was  not  to  be  depended 
upon  either,  but,  by  good  luck,  he  became  ill  and  had 
to  return  to  Fort  Frontenac.  Tonty  alone  was  loyal  and 
true. 

Portage  Around  Niagara  Falls.  The  next  difficult  task 
was  to  carry  the  heavy  supplies  for  the  new  vessel  up  the 
steep  heights  and  around  Niagara  Falls,  through  snowy 
forests,  to  quiet  water  above,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles. 
This  done,  they  felled  trees,  cleared  a  place  and  set  the 
ship-builders  at  work.  A  few  sullen  Senecas,  who  had  not 
gone  off  on  the  annual  hunt,  loitered  about  and  acted 
suspiciously.  One  of  them,  pretending  to  be  drunk,  tried 
to  kill  the  blacksmith,  but  a  red  hot  bar  of  iron  kept  him 
off  till  Hennepin  came  up  and  rebuked  the  Indian. 

A  Long  Journey  on  Foot.  La  Salle  laid  out  a  fort  and 
put  some  of  his  men  to  work  on  it.  He  left  the  faithful 
Tonty  in  charge  of  the  building  of  the  ship  and  set  out  on 
foot  for  Fort  Frontenac,  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  away, 
to  secure  supplies  to  replace  those  lost  in  the  wreck.  He 
and  his  two  companions  trudged  through  the  snowy 
forests  and  over  the  ice  to  Lake  Ontario,  living  on  parched 
corn.  This  gave  out,  and  for  two  days  they  had  no  food. 

Tonty  and  The  Griffon.  Tonty  meanwhile  finished  the 
vessel,  and  as  spring  opened,  it  was  launched  with  much 
ceremony.  "The  friar  pronounced  his  blessing  upon  her; 
the  assembled  company  sang  the  Te  Deum,  cannon  were 
fired;  and  French  and  Indians,  warmed  alike  by  a  generous 
gift  of  brandy,  shouted  and  yelped  in  chorus  as  she  glided 
into  the  Niagara.  Her  builders  towed  her  out  and  anchored 
her  in  the  stream,  safe  at  last  from  incendiary  hands,  and 
then  swinging  their  hammocks  under  her  deck,  slept  in 
peace  beyond  the  reach  of  the  tomahawk.  The  Indians 
gazed  on  her  with  amazement.  Five  small  cannon  looked 


58  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

out  of  her  portholes,  and  on  her  prow  was  carved  a  porten- 
tous monster,  the  Griffon,  whose  name  she  bore." 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Write  a  brief  account  of  the  life  of  La  Salic. 

2.  Trace  the  travels  of  .La  Salle  on  the  map. 

3.  Was  La  Salle  your  ideal  explorer?     Why? 

4.  Compare  the  character  of  La  Salle  with  that  of  Tonty. 

5.  Tell  the  story  of  the  building  of  the  Griffon. 

6.  Explain  the  meaning  of  the  words  La  Chine  and  Te  Deum. 

LESSON   HELPS 

La  Salle's  Patent.  "Louis,  by  the  grace  of,  God  King  of  France 
and  of  Navarre,  to  our  dear  and  well-beloved  Robert  Cavelier, 
Sieur  de  la  Salle,  greeting.  We  have  received  with  favor  the  very 
humble  petition  made  us  in  your  name,  to  permit  you  to  labor  at 
the  discovery  of  the  western  parts  of  New  France;  and  we  have  the 
more  willingly  entertained  this  proposal,  since  we  have  nothing 
more  at  heart  than  the  exploration  of  this  country,  through  which, 
to  all  appearance,  a  way  may  be  found  to  Mexico  ...  we 
permit  you  by  these  presents,  signed  with  our  hands,  to  labor  at  the 
discovery  of  the  western  parts  of  our  aforesaid  country  of  New 
France;  and,  for  the  execution  of  this  enterprise,  to  build  forts  at 
such  places  as  you  may  think  necessary,  and  enjoy  possession  thereof 
under  the  same  clauses  and  conditions  as  of  Fort  Frontenac,  con- 
forming to  our  letters  patent  of  May  thirteenth,  1675,  which,  so  far 
as  needful,  we  confirm  by  these  presents.  .  . 

Given  at  St.  Germain  en  Lave,  this  12th  day  of  May,  1678, 
and  of  our  reign  the  35th  year." 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Joutel's  Journal  of  La  Salle's  Last  Voyage.  Review  Dial,  Vol. 
42,  Pages  283-285. 

La  Salle  and  the  Great  West.     Parkman. 

Great  La  Salle.     Harper,  Vol.  110,  Pages  335-343,  Feb.  '05. 

Wilderness  and  Empire.  New  France  and  New  England,  Pages 
98-132. 

Pioneers  in  the  Settlement  of  America.      Crafts. 


CHAPTER   IV 

It  is  easy  to  i-eckon  up  his  defects,  but  it  is  not  easy  to  hide  from 
sight  the  Roman  virtues  that  redeemed  them.  Beset  by  a  throng 
of  enemies,  he  stands,  like  the  King  of  Israel,  head  and  shoulders 
above  them  all.  — FRANCIS  PARKMAN. 

LA  SALLE   VISITS   THE   ILLINOIS    INDIANS 


Hard  Blow  From  His  Enemies.  La  Salle  returned 
to  Fort  Niagara  in  August,  bringing  a  tale  of  another  mis- 
fortune. His  enemies  had  convinced  those  who  had  made 
loans  to  him  that  he  had  gone  on  a  reckless,  foolhardy 
expedition,  and  would  never  return.  Whereupon,  his 
creditors,  excited  by  these  rumors,  seized  on  all  of  La 
Salle's  property,  though  that  at  Fort  Frontenac  alone  would 
have  more  than  paid  his  debts.  There  was  nothing  he 
could  do  about  it,  however,  for  to  have  given  up  his  enter- 
prise would  have  afforded  his  enemies  just  the  victory  they 
sought.  La  Salle  bore  the  blow  with  a  brave  heart. 

The  First  Ship  Sails  Lake  Erie.  The  Griffon  was 
taken  up  the  Niagara  with  tow-ropes  and  sails.  On  the 
seventh  of  August,  1679,  La  Salle  and  his  followers  fired 
their  cannon,  sang  the  Te  Deum,  and  steered  westward 
on  Lake  Erie  where  sail  was  never  seen  before.  After  a 
voyage  of  three  days,  they  turned  northward  into  a  river 
which  La  Salle  named  Detroit.  They  soon  emerged  into 
a  small  lake  which  he  called  St.  Clair.  Passing  through 
the  lake  and  a  river  beyond,  they  came  out  upon  Lake 
Huron  Here  a  violent  tempest  overtook  them  and  all 
but  sent  them  to  the  bottom.  The  angry  lake  quieted, 

59 


60  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

however,  and  the  Griffon  made  her  way  to  Mackinac  and 
from  there  to  Green  Bay. 

Robbed  by  His  Agents.  Before  leaving  Niagara,  La 
Salle  had  sent  ahead  a  number  of  traders  laden  with  goods 
and  trinkets  to  be  exchanged  for  fur.  Most  of  these 
traders  deserted  him,  taking  with  them  the  valuable  furs 
they  had  bought  with  his  goods.  Only  those  sent  to  Green 
Bay  remained  faithful,  and  had  collected  a  rich  cargo 
for  the  Griffon. 

La  Salle  resolved  to  send  the  Griffon  back  to  Niagara 
laden  with  furs,  collected  here  and  along  the  way,  in 
order  to  pay  certain  debts.  He  knew  that  he  was  risking 
everything  upon  a  pilot  who  had  not  proved  entirely 
trustworthy,  but  he  thought  best  not  to  go  himself,  for  he 
feared  that  the  rest  of  the  men  would  desert.  Besides, 
he  saw  that  his  enemies  were  stirring  up  the  Iroquois  to 
make  war  upon  the  Illinois  Indians,  in  order  to  defeat 
his  plans.  Tonty  would  have  been  sent  back  with  the 
Griffon,  but  he  had  gone  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie  to  arrest  the 
deserting  fur  traders,  and  had  not  yet  returned. 

Her  Cargo.  The  Griffon  sailed  for  Niagara  with  La 
Salle's  entire  fortune.  He  had  even  left  on  board  part 
of  his  goods  and  implements  that  could  not  be  transported 
easily  in  canoes.  She  had  orders  to  return  to  the  southern 
end  of  Lake  Michigan,  as  soon  as  possible  after  discharg- 
ing her  cargo.  From  Green  Bay,  La  Salle  and  his  party 
pushed  southward  along  the  western  shore  of  the  lake 
in  four  canoes  heavily  laden  v,  ith  a  forge,  tools,  merchandise 
and  arms.  They  encountered  two  dreadful  storms,  but 
each  time  made  shore  safely.  They  shuddered  when  they 
thought  of  the  Griffon  riding  such  a  tempest.  La  Salle 
was  advised  by  some  of  the  red  men  along  Lake  Michigan 
not  to  go  to  the  country  of  the  Illinois,  for  that  tribe  hated 
the  French  for  stirring  up  the  Iroquois  against  them. 


LA  SALLE  VISITS  THE  ILLINOIS  INDIANS  61 

This  information  convinced  La  Salle  that  his  enemies 
had  hatched  this  scheme  of  Indian  wars  in  order  to  ruin 
him.  Nevertheless,  he  coasted  on  south,  past  where  Chicago 
now  stands,  and  around  the  southern  shore  of  the  lake,  to 
the  mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph  river,  which  he  named  Miami, 
from  an  Indian  tribe  dwelling  near.  Here  Tonty  was  to 
meet  him,  coming  from  Mackinac  along  the  eastern  shore 
of  the  lake. 

They  Wait  for  Tonty.  But  Tonty  was  nowhere  to  1  e 
seen.  Winter  was  approaching,  and  supplies  were  low. 
They  must  either  starve  or  attempt  to  reach  the  country 
of  the  Illinois,  before  that  tribe  went  off  on  its  winter 
hunt.  La  Salle's  men  urged  him  to  set  out  at  once,  but 
he  would  not  desert  the  faithful  Tonty.  He  put  his  men 
to  work  building  a  fort  to  divert  their  minds.  After  twenty 
days,  Tonty  arrived  with  but  half  his  men.  The  others 
who  had  been  delayed  to  procure  food,  since  supplies  had 
given  out,  came  up  a  few  days  later.  But  Tonty  brought 
no  tidings  of  the  Griffon.  She  had  had  more  than  time  to 
make  the  voyage  to  Niagara  and  back  again,  and  La  Salle 
watched  anxiously  for  her  approach.  Day  after  day  they 
scanned  the  horizon,  but  no  sail  appeared.  With  heavy 
hearts  La  Salle's  men  prepared  to  go  on  without  the  sup- 
plies she  was  to  bring.  He  sent  two  men  to  Mackinac  to 
await  her  coming  and  to  direct  her  to  Fort  Miami.  On 
Dec.  3,  1679,  La  Salle  and  his  men  embarked  and  paddled 
up  the  St.  Joseph  in  eight  canoes.  When  they  reached  the 
present  site  of  South  Bend  they  began  looking  for  a  portage 
to  the  head  waters  of  the  Kankakee. 

Loses  His  Way.  The  Mohegan  guide  was  absent, 
hunting,  and  they  passed  by  the  path  without  noticing  it. 
La  Salle  started  out  alone  to  search  for  it.  The  snow  was 
falling  and  he  lost  his  way  in  the  tangled  forests.  When 
hours  had  passed  without  his  return,  Hennepin  and  Tonty 


62  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

grew  uneasy  and  began  to  scour  the  country  for  him. 
They  fired  several  guns,  but  the  deep,  silent  forests  made 
no  reply  Night  came  on,  and  still  their  lost  leader  did 
not  appear  They  sat  down  sadly  to  consider  what  might 
have  happened  to  him.  It  was  not  till  the  next  afternoon 
that  he  returned  with  two  'possums  hanging  to  his  belt. 
These  he  had  killed  with  a  club  as  they  hung  head  down- 
ward from  the  branches  of  a  tree.  He  had  lost  his  bear- 
ings and  had  tried  to  circle  a  great  swamp.  He,  too,  had 
fired  signals,  but  no  sound  replied  except  the  echo. 
He  finally  came  in  sight  of  a  smoking  camp  fire  to  which 
he  hastened,  only  to  find  it  deserted.  He  called  out  in  all 
the  Indian  tongues  known  to  him,  but  the  savages,  if  there 
were  any,  did  not  respond.  So  he  crawled  into  a  bed  of 
leaves  by  the  fire  and  slept  till  morning. 

Portage  to  Kankakee.  Before  La  Salle's  return,  the 
Mohegan  hunter  had  rejoined  the  party  and  quickly 
pointed  out  the  portage  path.  On  the  following  morning 
they  shouldered  canoes  and  baggage  and  trudged  through 
the  snowy  forests  to  a  branch  of  the  Kankakee,  four  miles 
away.  They  saw  around  them  dreary  plains,  strewn  with 
skulls  and  bones  of  buffalo.  One  of  the  party  walking 
behind  La  Salle,  against  whom  he  had  a  grudge,  raised 
his  gun  to  shoot  his  leader,  but  was  prevented  by  another. 

They  had  at  last  found  a  stream  that  would  carry 
them  to  the  Mississippi,  and  on  it  they  were  soon  afloat. 
Day  after  day  they  passed  through  the  dreary,  lifeless 
forests.  At  night  they  spread  their  mat  beds  around  the 
glowing  camp  fire,  while  the  wintry  wind  whistled  through 
the  forest  about  them. 

A  Lucky  Find.  Their  supplies  were  running  low  because 
the  Mohegan  hunter  could  bring  down  only  two  lean  deer 
and  a  few  wild  geese.  La  Salle's  men  would  hare  deserted, 
but  they  did  not  see  how  that  would  keep  them  from 


LA    SALLE    VISITS   THE   ILLINOIS    INDIANS  63 

starving.  Finally,  they  came  upon  a  buffalo  bull  fast  in 
the  mire.  They  killed  him,  threw  a  line  around  his  body, 
and  by  pulling  and  tugging  together,  twelve  men  dragged 
the  buffalo  out. 

A  Deserted  Indian  Village.  Passing  by  the  site  of 
the  future  town  of  Ottawa,  and  by  Buffalo  Rock,  a  favorite 
dv/elling  place  of  Indians,  they  glided  among  some  islands 
and  saw  overhanging  the  river  a  lofty  cliff,  known  later 
as  Starved  Rock. 

They  floated  down  the  beautiful  Illinois  river  bordered 
by  broad  meadows,  and  on  the  right  the  low  hills  where 
Utica  now  stands.  Hennepin  counted  at  this  point  four 
hundred  sixty  Indian  lodges.  These  were  built  of  a  frame 
work  of  poles  covered  with  mats  of  rushes,  with  an  arched 
top.  Each  lodge  contained  three  or  four  fireplaces,  and 
accommodated  from  six  to  eight  families.  Here  then, 
were  the  homes  of  several  thousand  Illinois  Indians,  but 
they  were  nowhere  to  be  seen.  The  homes  were  empty 
and  the  fires  out.  All  about  was  dead  silence. 

La  Salle  Finds  the  Corn  Pits.  La  Salle  knew  that  this 
was  the  winter  hunting  season,  and  this  city  of  deserted 
homes  was  no  great  surprise  to  him.  He  was,  however, 
at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do,  for  he  had  expected  to  pur- 
chase corn  and  supplies  here  for  his  half-famished  followers. 
They  searched  the  deserted  town  and  found  covered  pits 
in  which  the  red  men  had  hidden  their  stock  of  corn.  They 
could  not  buy;  for  there  was  no  one  to  pay.  To  take  the 
corn  without  bargaining  for  it,  might  offend  the  Indians. 
La  Salle  hesitated,  and  finally  decided  to  supply  their 
wants,  with  the  hope  of  paying  for  it  later.  So  they  opened 
the  pits,  filled  their  canoes  and  resumed  their  voyage  down 
the  Illinois. 

Prepares  for  Peace  or  War.  Early  in  January,  they 
reached  the  widening  in  the  river  now  known  as  Peoria 


64  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

Lake.  As  they  floated  slowly  down  the  lake  to  the  present 
site  of  Peoria,  they  beheld  in  the  distance  faint  lines  of 
blue  smoke  rising  above  the  gray  forests.  They  knew 
this  must  be  the  Illinois  tribe  on  their  winter  hunt.  La 
Salle  had  been  warned  that  these  tribes  regarded  him  as 
their  enemy.  They  had  been  led  to  believe  that  he  had 
stirred  up  the  Iroquois  against  them.  So  upon  approaching 
their  camp,  he  prepared  for  peace  or  war. 

The  lake  had  now  narrowed  to  a  river,  and  La  Salle 
arranged  his  canoes  in  battle  line  across  the  stream,  with 
Tonty  commanding  one  end,  and  he  himself  commanding 
the  other  end  of  the  line.  As  the  current  bore  them  on 
abreast,  they  put  aside  their  paddles  and  seized  their 
guns.  In  this  array  they  were  carried  unnoticed  into  the 
Indian  camp  which  lined  both  banks. 

The  Indians  Surprised.  TITe  savages  were  panic- 
stricken.  Warriors  whooped  and  howled,  squaws  and 
children  screeched  in  chorus.  Some  snatched  their  war 
clubs  and  bows;  some  ran  in  terror;  and,  in  the  midst 
of  the  hubbub,  La  Salle  leaped  ashore  followed  by  his 
men.  La  Salle  knew  that  the  best  way  to  deal  with  the 
Indians  was  to  show  no  sign  of  fear,  and  to  let  them  first 
offer  the  peace  pipe.  So  his  little  band  stood,  gun  hi 
hand,  ready  for  battle.  Two  Indian  chieftains  hastened 
forward,  holding  out  the  calumet.  La  Salle  now  offered  his 
peace  pipe,  also.  The  uproar  quieted  at  once,  and  mes- 
sengers hastened  to  bring  back  the  fleeing  savages. 

La  Salle  Lays  His  Plans  Before  the  Illinois.  The  whole 
village  now  greeted  the  Frenchmen  and  feasted  them, 
much  as  they  had  Marquette  years  before.  Gifts  were 
exchanged,  and  La  Salle  told  them  that  he  had  been  forced 
to  take  corn  from  their  pits  to  keep  his  men  from  starving, 
but  he  promised  either  to  pay  for  it  in  full  or  to  return  it. 
He  said  he  had  come  to  protect  them  from  their  enemies 


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LA  SALLE  VISITS   THE   ILLINOIS   INDIANS   67 

and  to  teach  them  to  obey  the  true  God.  He  promised  to 
furnish  them  with  guns,  and  to  fight  for  them  in  case  the 
Iroquois  attacked  them.  La  Salle  told  them  also,  that  he 
would  like  to  build  a  fort  close  by  to  protect  his  men.  He 
wished  to  build  a  great  wooden  canoe,  too,  in  which  to 
descend  the  Mississippi  to  the  sea  and  return.  In  this  way 
he  would  furnish  them  all  the  white  men's  goods  they 
needed.  If  they  Avere  unwilling  for  him  to  do  these  things 
he  would  have  to  go  to  their  enemies,  the  Osages,  who  would 
reap  all  the  benefits  of  friendship  and  trade  with  the 
French,  while  the  Illinois  were  left  unprotected  and  at  the 
mercy  of  the  powerful  Iroquois.  Being  very  jealous  of 
the  Osages,  the  Illinois  readily  granted  all  he  asked. 

La  Salle's  Enemies  Still  Busy.  They  had  sent  an 
Indian  chief,  Monso,  with  gifts  of  knives,  hatchets  and 
kettles  to  the  Illinois.  In  a  secret  midnight  council,  he 
told  the  Illinois  that  La  Salle  was  a  spy  of  the  dreaded 
Iroquois  and  could  not  be  trusted.  Monso  said  that  La 
Salle  was  now  on  his  way  across  the  Mississippi  to  stir 
up  those  tribes  to  join  in  a  war  against  the  Illinois,  who 
would  thus  be  attacked  by  enemies  from  both  the  west 
and  the  east  at  the  same  moment,  and  utterly  destroyed. 
He  advised  the  Illinois,  in  order  to  save  themselves  from 
ruin,  to  check  La  Salle  and  cause  his  men  to  desert  him. 

When  morning  came,  Monso  had  departed  and  La 
Salle  found  his  hosts  sullen  and  suspicious.  He,  of  course, 
did  not  know  that  Monso  had  been  there,  and  could  not 
understand  why  the  Illinois  had  changed  so  suddenly 
from  friends  to  foes.  During  the  day  he  won  the  secret 
from  a  chief  by  the  gift  of  two  hatchets  and  three  knives. 

The  Illinois  Chief  Points  out  Dangers.  In  the  after- 
noon the  head  chief  invited  the  visitors  to  a  feast,  where 
he  told  them  of  the  dangers  of  descending  the  Mississippi. 
He  said  the  shores  of  the  "Father  of  Waters"  were  beset 


by  populous  tribes  of  bold,  fierce  braves,  against  whom  it 
would  be  hopeless  for  a  handful  of  palefaces  to  contend. 
The  river,  too,  was  alive  with  serpents,  alligators  and 
monsters;  it  was  a  raging  torrent,  leaping  among  rocks 
and  whirlpools;  and  at  its  mouth  it  plunged  headlong  into 
a  bottomless  gulf.  This  speech  frightened  many  of  La 
Salle's  men,  who  were  already  on  the  point  of  deserting. 
La  Salle  replied  very  calmly,  thanking  the  chief  for  his 
friendly  warning.  But,  said  La  Salle,  the  greater  the 
danger,  the  greater  the  honor.  Even  if  what  the  chief 
had  said  was  true,  it  would  not  frighten  his  brave 
Frenchmen. 

The  Lies  of  His  Enemies  Exposed.  He  told  the  Indians 
that  he  knew  that  they  had  been  deceived  by  lies.  '-'We 
were  not  asleep,  my  brother,  when  Monso  came  to  tell 
you,  under  cover  of  night,  that  we  were  spies  of  the  Iroquois. 
"Why,"  asked  La  Salle,  "did  Monso  skulk  away  in  the 
dark,  if  he  were  telling  the  truth?  Why  did  he  not  show 
himself  in  broad  daylight?"  La  Salle  showed  them  that 
the  French  had  many  chances  to  kill  them  without  waiting 
for  aid  from  the  Iroquois.  He  asked  them  to  go  and  bring 
Monso  back,  and  let  him  speak  out  boldly. 

His  Men  Disloyal.  The  following  night  six  of  La 
Salle's  men,  including  two  of  his  best  carpenters,  deserted. 
He  called  the  remaining  ones  before  him  and  reminded 
them  of  his  many  favors.  He  told  them  that,  if  they  were 
afraid  of  the  unknown  terrors  of  the  Mississippi,  they 
might  remain  there  until  the  next  spring,  and  then  return  to 
Canada  without  dishonor.  This  desertion  was  a  severe  blow 
to  the  iron-hearted  leader.  But  this  was  not  the  worst. 
An  attempt  was  made  to  kill  La  Salle  by  poisoning  his  food, 
but  an  antidote  of  a  friend  saved  him. 

Builds  Fort  Crevecoeur.  La  Salle  resolved  to  leave  the 
Indian  camp.  He  chose  a  site  a  few  miles  below  for  a 


LA    SALLE   VISITS   THE   ILLINOIS   INDIANS    69 

fort.  It  stood  on  a  hill  with  a  deep  ravine  on  either  side, 
and  a  marsh  in  front.  They  dug  a  ditch  behind  the  fort 
to  connect  both  ravines,  threw  up  embankments  on  all 
sides,  with  a  palisade  twenty-five  feet  high.  The  lodgings 
of  the  men  were  built  of  musket-proof  timber  at  two 
corners,  the  house  of  the  friar  was  at  the  third  corner, 
and  the  forge  and  the  magazine  were  at  the  fourth.  The 
tents  of  La  Salle  and  Tonty  were  within. 

This  fort,  named  Crevecoeur  (Broken  Heart),  was  the 
first  permanent  building  of  civilized  man  within  the  state. 
Up  to  this  time  La  Salle  still  hoped  for  the  return  of  the 
Griffon,  with  the  rigging  and  anchors  for  the  new  vessel 
with  which  he  was  to  descend  the  Mississippi  and  sail 
to  the  West  Indies.  But  now  his  hopes  had  vanished,  he 
knew  the  ship  bearing  his  fortune  was  lost.  Nothing  was 
ever  heard  of  her. 

La  Salle  Returns  to  Far-off  Canada.  There  was  no 
building  a  ship  for  his  journey  to  the  Gulf  without  cables, 
anchors,  and  rigging,  and  Fort  Frontenac  was  twelve 
hundred  miles  away.  His  stout  heart  would  not  give  it 
up.  He  might  himself  make  that  long,  dangerous  voyage 
on  foot  to  fetch  these  articles,  but  could  he  trust  his  men 
to  hold  the  fort  until  his  return?  From  some  visiting 
Osages,  La  Salle  learned  the  truth  about  the  lower  Missis- 
sippi, and  this  quieted  the  fears  of  his  men.  He  decided  to 
leave  Tonty  in  command  at  the  fort,  to  finish  the  new  ship 
which  was  now  well  started,  and  to  return  himself  to  far-off 
Canada.  With  five  companions  he  traveled  the  thousand 
miles  to  Fort  Niagara  in  sixty-five  days,  enduring  hunger, 
hardship  and  disease. 

Tonty  Left  in  Command.  When  La  Salle  left  Fort 
Crevecoeur  on  his  perilous  journey  to  Fort  Frontenac,  he 
placed  Tonty  over  the  small  band  left  behind.  It  con- 
sisted of  a  few  trusted  men  and  a  half-score  of  knaves 


70  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

who  were  already  ripe  for  revolt.  As  La  Salle  passed 
Starved  Rock,  he  noted  that  it  was  a  fine  site  for  a  fort, 
and  he  sent  word  back  to  Tonty  to  fortify  it.  Tonty  left 
some  of  his  party  to  hold  Fort  Crevecoeur,  while  he  and 
the  others  made  their  way  up  the  river  to  the  Illinois 
village  a  few  miles  above.  The  scoundrels  left  at  the  fort 
destroyed  it,  together  with  the  arms  and  supplies,  and  set 
out  for  Canada. 

The  Iroquois  Approach.  The  Illinois  tribes  had  now 
returned  from  their  winter  hunt  to  their  village  near 
Starved  Rock.  Tonty  was  living  with  them,  when  one  day 
an  Indian  crossed  the  river  in  hot  haste  to  report  that  a 
great  horde  of  Iroquois  was  approaching.  A  panic  followed. 
The  warriors  seized  their  arms;  women  and  children  ran 
screaming  about;  and  an  excited  throng  gathered  about 
Tonty,  charging  him  with  stirring  up  the  Iroquois.  They 
seized  his  forge,  tools  and  goods,  and  threw  them  into  the 
river,  and  many  called  loudly  for  his  scalp.  But  when 
he  promised  to  fight  for  them  against  the  ferocious  Iroquois, 
they  spared  his  life. 

The  Illinois  braves  spent  the  night  in  preparing  for  the 
battle.  They  greased  their  bodies,  painted  their  faces  and 
be-feathered  their  heads.  All  night  long  they  sang  war 
songs,  danced,  yelled,  and  waved  their  tomahawks,  to  work 
up  their  courage  for  the  coming  onset.  The  squaws  and 
children  were  sent  to  an  island  down  the  river. 

Tonty  With  a  Flag  of  Truce.  When  the  Iroquois 
appeared  upon  the  plain  in  large  numbers  and  well  armed 
with  guns,  Tonty  saw  that  the  Illinois  would  be  crushed. 
The  battle  opened  with  yells  and  terrific  howlings,  and 
amid  flying  arrows  and  bullets,  Tonty  advanced  alone 
toward  the  Iroquois  holding  out  a  wampum  belt,  as  a  flag 
of  truce.  He  meant  to  remind  the  Iroquois  that  both  they 
and  the  Illinois  were  allies  and  friends  of  the  French, 


LA   SALLE   VISITS   THE   ILLINOIS   INDIANS  71 

and  that  they  would  get  into  a  war  with  the  French  if 
they  attacked  the  Illinois. 

The  Iroquois  at  first  did  not  take  Tonty  for  a  French- 
man, because  of  his  dark  complexion.  They  thronged 
about  him  with  murder  in  their  hearts,  brandishing  their 
tomahawks  with  fury.  One  warrior  plunged  his  knife 
into  the  brave  Tonty,  but  it  glanced  aside  from  a  rib  and 
did  not  reach  his  heart.  Another  standing  behind  was 
raising  his  hair  to  scalp  him,  when  an  old  chief  called 
out  that  his  ears  were  not  pierced,  and  that  he  must  there- 
fore be  a  Frenchman.  The  hot  heads  hesitated. 

Tonty  Deceives  the  Iroquois.  Breathless  and  bleeding, 
Tonty  declared  that  the  Illinois  were  under  the  protection 
of  Governor  Frontenac.  He  told  them  that  the  Illinois 
had  a  great  number  of  warriors,  besides  sixty  Frenchmen 
to  help  them,  and  should  be  left  in  peace.  Unwilling  to 
incur  the  displeasure  of  Frontenac,  and  fearing  the  great 
number  of  French  and  Illinois  warriors,  they  sent  Tonty 
back  with  a  belt  of  peace.  Dizzy  and  fainting  from  loss 
of  blood,  Tonty  rejoined  his  friends,  and  was  warmly 
embraced  by  the  two  friars. 

But  the  Iroquois  were  bloodthirsty,  and  the  truce 
was  sure  to  be  broken.  So  the  Illinois  burned  their 
village,  and  retreated  down  the  river.  The  Iroquois  took 
possession  of  their  burning  lodges  and  fortified  them- 
selves. 

Saved  by  His  Wits.  During  this  time,  Tonty  and  his 
men  occupied  a  hut  not  far  away.  The  Iroquois  becoming 
suspicious,  made  the  Frenchmen  come  into  their  fort. 
They  soon  learned  that  Tonty  had  deceived  them  as  to 
the  number  of  Illinois  warriors  and  French,  and  they 
turned  angrily  upon  him.  "Where  are  your  sixty  men?" 
they  demanded.  They  said  he  had  robbed  them  of  the 
glory  and  spoils  of  victory,  and,  in  revenge,  they  thought 


72  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

he  should  be  killed.  Tonty  was  cool-headed  and  tactful , 
and  managed  to  escape  their  fury. 

The  Iroquois  Bloodthirsty.  Some  days  later,  they 
summoned  Tonty  to  a  council  and  presented  him  with  six 
packs  of  beaver  skins.  One  was  to  say  that  the  Governor's 
children,  the  cowardly  Illinois,  should  not  be  eaten;  the 
second  was  a  plaster  to  heal  Tonty's  wound;  another  was 
oil  to  anoint  him  on  his  journey;  the  next  said  that  the  sun 
was  bright;  and  the  last  required  Tonty's  men  to  leave  the 
country  at  once.  Tonty  thanked  them  for  their  gifts, 
but  demanded  to  know  if  they  would  return  home  and 
leave  the  Illinois  in  peace.  At  this  the  Iroquois  became 
angry,  and  one  warrior  was  heard  to  say  that  before  they 
left  they  would  eat  Illinois  flesh.  Tonty  then  kicked  away 
the  packs  of  beaver  skins,  and  told  them  that  if  they  were 
going  to  eat  the  Governor's  children,  he  would  have  none 
of  their  presents.  In  anger  they  drove  Tonty  from  the  lodge, 
and  ordered  him  and  his  men  to  be  gone.  Tonty  saw  that 
it  was  hopeless  to  try  to  prevent  bloodshed,  and  that  it 
was  dangerous  for  him  to  remain  exposed  to  the  wolfish 
passions  of  the  Iroquois. 

Tonty's  Journey  to  Mackinac.  The  Frenchmen  set 
out  for  Green  Bay,  living  meanwhile  on  acorns,  roots, 
and  wild  onions.  Their  canoe  gave  out,  and  they  were 
compelled  to  go  on  afoot.  They  passed  by  where  Chicago 
now  stands,  and  followed  the  west  shore  of  the  lake.  Tonty 
was  taken  with  a  fever  and  delayed,  and  starvation  stared 
them  in  the  face.  Luckily,  some  friendly  Indians  gave 
them  food,  and  at  last  they  reached  Mackinac. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Why  did  not  La  Salle  build  his  ship  on  Lake  Ontario  or  the 
St.  Lawrence  River? 

2.  Write  an  imaginary  account  of  the  destruction  of  the  Griffon. 


LA  SALLE  VISITS  THE  ILLINOIS  INDIANS      73 

3.  Give  an  account  of  the  travels  of  La  Salle  between  August, 
1679,  and  April,  1680. 

4.  Recite  the  experience  of  Tonty  at  Starved  Rock. 

5.  About  how  far  had  the  Iroquois  traveled  to  make  war  on  the 
Illinois? 

LESSON   HELPS 

Killing  a  Buffalo.     "Run,  Father,  run!"  cried  the  hunters. 

"It  is  dead,"  asserted  Father  Membre.  "I  will  rest  my  gun 
across  its  carcass  to  steady  my  aim  at  the  other  buffaloes." 

He  knelt  to  rest  his  gun  across  its  back. 

The  great  beast  heaved  convulsively  to  its  feet  and  made  a 
dash  at  the  R4collet.  It  sent  him  revolving  heels  over  head.  But 
Father  Membre"  got  up,  and,  spreading  his  capote  in  both  hands, 
danced  in  front  of  the  buffalo  to  head  it  off  from  escaping.  At 
that,  with  a  bellow,  the  shaggy  creature  charged  over  him  across 
the  prairie,  dropping  to  its  knees  and  dying  before  the  frightened 
hunters  could  lift  the  friar  from  the  ground. 

"Are  you  hurt,  Father?"  they  all  asked,  supporting  him,  and 
finding  it  impossible  to  keep  from  laughing  as  he  sat  up,  with  his 
reverend  face  skinned  and  his  capote  nearly  torn  off. 

"Not  unto  death,"  responded  Father  Membre,  brushing  grass 
and  dirty  hoof  prints  from  his  garments.  "But  it  hath  been  greatly 
impressed  on  my  mind  that  this  ox-savage  is  no  fit  beast  for  the 
plow.  Nor  will  I  longer  counsel  the  women  to  coax  the  wild  cows 
to  a  milking.  It  is  well  to  adapt  to  our  needs  the  beasts  of  a  coun- 
try," said  Father  Membre',  wiping  blood  from  his  face.  "But  this 
buffalo  creature  hath  disappointed  me!" 

— MARY  HARTWELL  CATHERWOOD. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

La  Salle  and  the  Great  West.     Parkman,  Pages  164-258. 

Making  of  the  Great  West.     Drake,  Pages  93-109. 

Heroes  of  American  Discovery.     Bell. 

Pioneers  in  the  Settlement  of  America.     Crafts. 

The  Discovery  of  the   Mississippi.     Falconer. 

Pioneers  of  Illinois.     Matson. 


CHAPTER   V 

Whoever  reads  the  marvellous  story  of  his  twenty  years'  toil 
must  confess  his  greatness,  and  the  power  of  that  ideal  which  held 
him  firm.  His  life  and  death  constitute  the  one  supreme  tragedy 
of  the  Mississippi  valley.  — RANDALL  PARRISH. 

LA   SALLE   ON   THE   GULF 

Bad  News  at  Ft.  Niagara.  Upon  arriving  at  Fort 
Niagara,  La  Salle  learned  the  woeful  tidings  that  not 
only  had  the  Griffon  disappeared  with  a  loss  of  thousands 
of  dollars,  but  that  a  ship  from  France  with  a  large  cargo 
of  his  goods  had  been  wrecked  and  lost  at  the  mouth  of  the 
St.  Lawrence,  and  that  the  twenty  hired  men  who  had  come 
from  Europe  to  join  him,  had  been  told  that  he  was  either 
dead  or  had  returned  home.  Without  loss  of  time,  leaving 
his  sick  companions  at  Fort  Niagara,  he  pushed  on  to 
Fort  Frontenac. 

More  111  Luck.  Upon  his  arrival  there,  stories  of  more 
ill  fortune  fell  upon  his  ears.  He  found  that  his  agents 
had  squandered  his  money,  his  creditors  had  seized  his 
property,  and  that  several  of  his  richly  laden  canoes  had 
been  lost  in  the  rapids  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  He  hastened 
to  Montreal  where  he  overcame  all  his  evil  fortune  with 
wonderful  courage,  and  was  soon  on  his  way  back  to  Fort 
Frontenac  with  supplies  for  his  new  ship  on  the  Illinois. 

La  Salle  Receives  a  Letter  from  Tonty.  No  sooner 
had  he  reached  Ft.  Frontenac,  than  a  blow  more  severe 
than  all  the  others  fell  upon  him.  In  a  letter  from  Tonty, 
he  learned  that  soon  after  he  left  Ft.  Crevecoeur  for  Canada, 
nearly  all  of  the  men  left  with  Tonty  deserted,  after  destroy- 

74 


HENRI    DE    TONTY 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 


LA   SALLE   ON   THE   GULF  77 

ing  the  fort,  and  throwing  into  the  river  all  the  arms  and 
stores  they  could  not  carry  off  with  them.  These  scoundrels 
then  went  to  the  fort  on  the  St.  Joseph,  where  they  seized 
valuable  furs  belonging  to  their  leader,  destroyed  the  fort, 
and  pushed  on  toward  Montreal,  to  save  themselves  from 
punishment.  La  Salle  heard  of  their  approach,  met  them 
on  Lake  Ontario,  and  killed  or  captured  the  whole  party. 

Headed  Again  for  Illinois.  With  carpenters,  joiners, 
masons  and  soldiers,  together  with  the  outfit  for  the  ves- 
sel, La  Salle  was  soon  on  his  way  to  bring  aid  to  his  faithful 
lieutenant,  Tonty.  Another  toilsome  journey,  and  his 
party  landed  at  the  fort  on  the  St.  Joseph,  where  he  left 
the  heavy  stores  to  be  brought  on  as  speedily  as  possible. 
With  a  handful  of  men,  he  pushed  on  ahead  with  anxious 
heart  to  join  Tonty.  Up  the  St.  Joseph,  across  the  portage 
and  down  the  Kankakee  they  went,  with  no  word  or  sign 
of  Tonty's  having  passed  that  way.  La  Salle  hoped  that 
Tonty  was  still  at  his  post. 

A  Buffalo  Hunt.  As  they  paddled  down  the  Illinois 
they  beheld  a  wonderful  sight.  "Far  and  near  the  prairie 
was  alive  with  buffalo;  now  like  black  specks  dotting 
the  distant  swells;  now  trampling  by  in  ponderous  columns 
or  filing  in  long  lines,  morning,  noon  and  night,  to  drink 
at  the  river — wading,  plunging  and  snorting  in  the  water; 
climbing  the  muddy  shores  and  staring  with  wild  eyes  at 
the  passing  canoes.  It  was  an  opportunity  not  to  be  lost. 
The  party  landed  and  encamped  for  a  hunt.  Sometimes 
they  hid  under  the  shelving  bank  and  shot  the  buffaloes 
as  they  came  to  drink;  sometimes,  flat  on  their  faces,  they 
dragged  themselves  through  the  long  dead  grass,  till  the 
savage  bulls,  guardians  of  the  herd,  ceased  their  grazing, 
raised  their  huge  heads  and  glared  through  their  tangled 
hair  at  the  intruders.  The  hunt  was  successful.  In  three 
days  they  killed  twelve  buffaloes,  besides  deer,  geese,  and 


78  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

swans.  They  cut  the  meat  into  thin  flakes  and  dried  it  in 
the  sun  or  in  the  smoke  of  their  fires." 

Down  the  Illinois.  With  a  plentiful  supply,  they  pushed 
on  in  joy  to  relieve  Tonty  and  his  hungry  followers.  They 
passed  the  cliff  afterward  called  Fort  St.  Louis  (Starved 
Rock) ,  where  La  Salle  had  advised  Tonty  to  build  a  fort. 
But  as  they  scanned  the  lofty  top,  there  was  neither  cabin 
nor  palisade  to  be  seen. 

Soon  they  beheld  the  site  of  the  once  populous  village 
of  the  Illinois,  but  where  were  the  swarming  savages? 
The  plain  was-  strewn  with  ashes,  charred  poles  that  had 
once  been  the  frame-work  of  the  lodges,  and  human  skulls. 

The  Butchery  of  the  Iroquois.  The  fiendish  Iroquois 
had  blotted  out  the  village  and  slain  all  the  inhabitants. 
The  pits  had  been  rifled  and  the  corn  fields  laid  waste. 
There  were  signs  of  .savage  horror  on  every  hand.  One 
thought  filled  La  Salle's  mind,  where  were  Tonty  and  his 
men?  He  searched  the  ruins  for  trace  of  them,  but  in  vain. 

Leaving  three  of  his  men  in  hiding  on  an  island  in  the 
river,  with  orders  to  make  no  smoke  by  day,  to  conceal 
their  fire  by  night,  and  to  fire  no  guns,  he  journeyed  down 
the  Illinois  with  four  men  heavily  armed,  each  having 
two  guns,  a  pistol  and  a  sword,  to  locate  Tonty.  He 
passed  place  after  place  where  the  opposing  Indian  armies 
had  camped,  but  still  no  traces  of  Tonty.  He  came  upon 
the  dismantled  Fort  Crevecoeur  and  the  half-finished  ship, 
still  unharmed.  The  silence  of  death  reigned  throughout 
this  vast  country. 

La  Salle's  First  View  of  the  Mississippi.  On  down  the 
river  went  the  mighty  La  Salle,  till  the  "Father-of  Waters" 
met  his  view.  He  saw  where  the  Illinois  had  made  their 
last  stand  against  the  victorious  Iroquois,  and  the  field 
of  the  war-dance  where  the  women  and  children  of  the 
Illinois  braves  had  been  tortured  and  burned  at  the  stake. 


KEYi 

Joliet'a  Journey 

La  Sail, 

Tonty's  Voyage       _..__..^_.._ 


FRENCH  EXPLORERS  IN  THE  MISSISSIPPI  VALLEY 


80  THE  STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

His  faithful  followers  offered  to  accompany  him  to  the 
sea,  but  La  Salle  did  not  wish  to  abandon  those  left  on 
the  island,  and  he  believed  Tonty  had  gone  north;  so 
the  party  retraced  its  steps  and  picked  up  the  three  men 
on  the  island,  and  soon  reached  the  St.  Joseph  again. 
Here  the  men  had  rebuilt  the  fort  and  cleared  ground 
for  planting,  but  they  had  no  tidings  of  Tonty. 

With  his  supplies,  tools  and  arms  at  Fort  Crevecoeur 
destroyed  and  his  company  scattered,  his  second  expedi- 
tion which  had  cost  so  much  in  money,  in  toil  and  in  hard- 
ship, was  a  failure.  His  white  enemies  had  beaten  him  by 
setting  the  red  men  to  destroy  each  other. 

Another  Long  Trip  to  Canada.  Would  La  Salle  give 
up?  He  knew  no  such  word  as  fail.  Nothing  could 
turn  him  from  his  purpose  of  discovering  the  mouth 
of  the  Mississippi  and  building  a  fort  there.  His  voyage 
depended  upon  supplies  which  could  be  had  only  in 
Canada,  and  to  Canada  he  must  go  again — that  long, 
toilsome  journey  through  the  wilderness.  He  met  Tonty 
at  Mackinac,  and  together  they  trudged  and  paddled  to 
Fort  Frontenac. 

What  could  he  say  to  those  who  had  loaned  thousands 
to  further  his  expeditions,  both  of  which  had  failed?  His 
iron  will  overcame  all  obstacles,  and  he  was  soon  back  on 
the  Illinois  with  his  supplies. 

Canoeing  Down  the  Mississippi.  He  now  gave  up 
the  plan  of  building  a  ship,  but  set  out  in  canoes  down 
the  Mississippi.  Day  after  day,  and  week  after  week, 
found  them  slowly  drifting  southward.  They  passed 
the  mouths  of  great  rivers,  visited  many  strange  tribes, 
and  were  many  times  feasted  on  roast  dog  and  other 
delicacies. 

Victory  at  Last.  Finally  they  came  to  where  the 
river  divides  into  three  broad  channels.  Soon  they  smelled 


LA  SALLE  ON  THE  GULF  Si 

the  salt  air  of  the  sea.  With  eager  eyes  they  looked  ahead 
to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  the  ocean.  Presently  the  broad 
bosom  and  the  tossing  waters  of  the  long-sought  Gulf  of 
Mexico  burst  into  view.  Success  had  at  last  crowned  the 
long  years  of  patient  toil  and  suffering,  and  La  Salle  had 
won  a  place  for  himself  on  the  pages  of  history. 

La  Salle  Takes  Possession  of  an  Empire  for  His  King. 
A  short  distance  above  the  mouth,  La  Salle  erected  a 
column  bearing  the  arms  of  France.  The  astonished 
Indians  looked  on  in  silence  while  the  Frenchmen  sang 
the  Te  Deum,  fired  a  salute  with  their  muskets,  and  shouted 
"Long  live  the  King."  La  Salle  then  proclaimed  in  a 
loud  voice  that  the  entire  Mississippi  valley  and  the  valleys 
of  all  the  rivers  that  flowed  into  the  Mississippi  belonged  to 
the  King  of  France.  In  honor  of  his  king,  Louis  XIV.,  he 
named  this  great  land,  Louisiana.  Then  a  cross  was  planted 
beside  the  column  and  a  leaden  plate  bearing  the  arms  of 
France  was  buried  at  its  base.  On  this  plate  in  Latin  were 
the  words,  "Louis  the  Great  Reigns." 

By  this  ceremony,  La  Salle  gave  to  France  a  magnificent 
present,  the  entire  Mississippi  valley  from  the  Alleghanies 
to  the  Rockies,  and  from  the  Gulf  to  the  Great  Lakes. 
This  region  was  then  a  wilderness  inhabited  by  scattered 
tribes  of  dusky  savages.  In  it  today  there  are  twenty 
great  American  states,  dotted  all  over  with  thousands  of 
farm  houses  and  hundreds  of  cities,  with  their  millions 
of  happy,  liberty-loving  people.  One  of  the  greatest  of 
these  states  is  our  own  Illinois.  Do  you  think  La  Salle 
knew  what  a  wonderful  empire  he  gave  to  his  King  that 
day? 

Bearing  the  News  Homeward.  The  explorers  turned 
back,  and  slowly  forced  their  canoes  northward  against 
the  muddy  current  of  this  mighty  stream.  The  weather 
was  warm  and  the  swampy  region  brought  severe  illness 


82  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

to  the  great  explorer.  He  was  compelled  to  stop  to  regain 
strength,  while  he  sent  Tonty  on  to  Mackinac  with  news 
of  his  success.  As  soon  as  he  was  able,  La  Salle  joined 
Tonty  there. 

La  Salle's  Life  Work  Not  Yet  Done.  Will  not  La  Salle 
rest  now?  Will  he  not  return  to  France  to  be  received 
with  honors  and  enjoy  his  last  days?  No,  not  he.  His 
work  is  not  yet  done.  He  has  resolved  to  build  a  line  of 
forts  from  Canada  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  so  as  to 
protect  the  region  from  the  English  and  Spanish.  He  wished 
also  to  unite  all  the  western  tribes  of.  Indians  against  the 
Iroquois  and,  by  protecting  these  Indians,  get  all  their 
rich  furs  to  carry  down  the  Mississippi  and  to  Europe 
by  ship. 

In  order  to  protect  these  Indians,  La  Salle  had  to  make 
them  friendly  to  each  other.  This  was  no  easy  task,  but 
he  knew  the  heart  of  the  Indian,  and  they  loved  him.  They 
finally  agreed  to  become  friends  and  to  live  together  in 
peace  as  children  of  "Onontio,"  as  they  called  Frontenac. 
A  Fort  on  Starved  Rock.  La  Salle,  in  looking  about 
for  a  good  place  to  settle  with  his  savage  friends,  decided 
upon  Starved  Rock,  on  the  Illinois  river,  because  here  he 
could  build  a  strong  fort  and  with  a  handful  of  men  could 
hold  out  against  great  odds.  The  beautiful  Illinois  river 
valley  is  very  fertile,  and  corn,  pumpkins  and  other  Indian 
crops  would  grow  easily.  Besides,  he  could  go  by  water 
from  here  to  the  sea. 

"The  cliff,  called  Starved  Rock,  .  .  .  rises  steep 
on  three  sides  as  a  castle  wall,  to  the  height  of  a  hundred 
twenty-five  feet  above  the  river.  In  front  it  overhangs 
the  water  that  washes  its  base ;  its  western  brow  looks  down 
on  the  top  of  forest  trees  below;  and,  on  the  east  lies  a 
wide  gorge  or  ravine,  choked  with  the  mingled  foliage  of 
oaks,  walnuts  and  elms.  .  .  .  From  the  brink  you  may 


LA   SALLE   ON   THE  GULF  83 

drop  a  plummet  into  the  river  below,  where  the  catfish 
and  the  turtles  may  plainly  be  seen  gliding  over  the  wrinkled 
sands  of  the  clear  and  shallow  current.  The  cliff  is  acces- 
sible only  from  behind,  where  a  man  may  climb  up,  not 
without  difficulty,  by  a  steep  and  narrow  passage.  The  top 
is  about  an  acre  in  extent." 

Many  Tribes  Gather  About  La  Salle.  On  the  top  of 
this  cliff,  La  Salle  and  Tonty  built  a  palisaded  fort  in  which 
were  warehouses  and  dwellings,  the  timber  for  which  they 
dragged  up  the  steep  and  narrow  path.  This  fort  he  named 
Fort  St.  Louis.  The  Indians  soon  gathered  about  their 
champion.  On  the  plain  below,  La  Salle  could  look  down 
upon  bark  lodges  and  log  cabins,  squaws  laboring  in  the 
fields,  and  warriors  lounging  in  the  sun.  About  this  fortified 
eagle's  nest  gathered  the  Shawnees  from  the  Ohio,  Abenakis 
from  Maine,  Miamis  from  the  Kankakee  and  the  Illinois, 
who,  to  the  number  of  six  thousand,  had  now  returned  to 
their  favorite  dwelling  place.  There  were  also  the  Weas  and 
the  Piankishaws.  In  all,  La  Salle  says,  there  were  twenty 
thousand,  from  whom  could  be  mustered  four  thou- 
sand braves. 

Two  Things  Needed  to  Hold  the  Red  Men  Together. 
La  Salle  knew  that  in  order  to  hold  these  savages  together, 
he  would  have  to  do  two  things.  First,  he  must  protect 
them  from  the  dreaded  Iroquois.  Second,  he  must  supply 
them  with  French  goods  in  exchange  for  their  furs.  To 
bring  all  these  things  by  way  of  Canada,  where  he  had  so 
many  enemies,  was  risky.  Frontenac  had  been  called  home 
to  France,  and  a  new  governor,  La  Barre,  who  was 
unfriendly  to  La  Salle,  had  taken  his  place.  La  Barre 
was  jealous  of  La  Salle,  and  was  bent  on  ruining  him. 
He  cut  off  supplies  from  going  to  Fort  St.  Louis,  captured 
furs  sent  to  Canada  by  La  Salle,  and  even  urged  the  Iro- 
quois to  again  take  the  field  against  the  Illinois. 


84  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

La  Salle  Sails  on  the  Gulf.  La  Salle  was  desperate. 
He  left  Tonty  at  Fort  St.  Louis  and  set  out  for  France 
by  way  of  Quebec.  At  court  he  met  with  favor,  and  four 
ships  were  fitted  out  to  go  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and 
fortify  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  After  many  mishaps 
and  many  disputes  between  La  Salle  and  the  commander 
of  the  fleet,  the  expedition  sailed  past  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi  without  knowing  it,  and  landed  on  the  coast 
of  Texas. 

His  Misfortunes.  One  ship  was  captured  by  the  Span- 
iards and  another  was  wrecked,  the  waves  scattering  the 
provisions  of  La  Salle's  army  along  the  Texan  beach. 
Scores  died  of  disease,  and  many  deserted  the  noble  La 
Salle.  Some  were  killed  by  savages,  others  lost  their  lives 
by  accident. 

His  Death.  Worn  out  by  worry,  disappointment,  and 
the  loss  of  his  last  ship,  La  Salle  set  out  on  foot  to  find  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  but  was  brutally  shot  down  by 
some  of  his  own  men.  These  murderers  were  themselves 
killed  in  a  quarrel  by  their  companions.  At  last,  a  few  of 
La  Salle's  followers  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi, 
and,  following  it,  they  arrived  at  Fort  St.  Louis  on  the 
Illinois.  Here  Tonty  received  them  kindly.  But  they  did 
not  tell  him  that  their  great  commander  lay  dead  upon  the 
plains  of  Texas,  slain  by  traitors  of  his  own  band.  Some- 
time later,  Tonty  learned  from  the  Indians  of  the  death  of 
the  great  explorer. 


LA  SALLE  ON  THE  GULF  85 

TOPICS   FOR  THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  How  could  a  letter  from  Tonty  have  reached  La  Salle  in  time 
for  him  to  return  and  meet  the  robbers  on  Lake  Ontario? 

2.  Give  an  account  of  La  Salle's -second  expedition  and  how  it 
ended. 

3.  What  resolution  on  the  part  of  La  Salle  led  to  his  third  expe- 
dition? 

4.  What  was  the  attitude  of  Governor  La  Barre  toward  La  Salle? 

5.  Give  an  account  of  La  Salle's  last  expedition  and  his  death. 

6.  Review  the  life  work  of  La  Salle,  and  tell  to  what  extent  you 
think  his  deeds  influenced  the  colonization  of  America. 

LESSON   HELPS 

Death  of  La  Salle.  La  Salle,  continuing  to  advance,  soon  saw 
him,  and,  calling  to  him,  demanded  where  was  Moranget.  The 
man  without  lifting  his  hat,  or  any  show  of  respect,  replied  in  an 
agitated  and  broken  voice,  but  with  a  tone  of  studied  insolence, 
drawing  back  as  he  spoke,  to  the  ambuscade,  while  the  incensed  com- 
mander advanced  to  chastise  him.  At  that  moment,  a  shot  was 
fired  from  the  grass,  instantly  followed  by  another,  and,  pierced 
through  the  brain,  La  Salle  dropped  dead. 

— FRANCIS  PARKMAN. 

Tonty's  Grief.  So  slowly  did  events  move  then,  and  so  power- 
less was  the  man,  an  atom  in  the  wilderness,  that  the  great-hearted 
Italian  weeping  aloud  in  rage  and  grief,  realized  that  La  Salle's 
bones  had  been  bleaching  a  year  and  a  half  before  the  news  of  his 
death  reached  his  lieutenant.  It  was  not  known  that  La  Salle 
received  burial.  The  wretches  who  assassinated  him  threw  him 
into  some  bush.  It  was  a  satisfaction  to  Tonty  that  they  all  per- 
ished miserably  afterwards;  those  who  survived  quarrels  among 
themselves  being  killed  by  the  Indians. 

— MARY  HARTWELL  CATHERWOOD. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

La  Salle  and  the  Great  West.     Parkman. 
Pioneers  in  the  Settlement  of  America.     Crafts. 
Starved  Rock.     Osman. 
Cartier  to  Frontenac.     Winsor. 
Pioneers  of  Illinois.      Matson. 


CHAPTER   VI 

The  roughest  hunter  or  boatman  among  them  could  appear  in 
a  ballroom  with  the  carriage  and  behavior  of  a  gentleman.  At  the 
same  time,  the  French  women  were  remarkable  for  the  grace  and 
elegance  of  their  manners.  — GOVERNOR  THOMAS  FORD. 

KASKASKIA  UNDER  FRANCE  AND  ENGLAND 

La  Salle's  Village  at  Ft.  St.  Louis  Abandoned.  After 
La  Salle's  departure  from  his  settlement  at  Ft.  St.  Louis, 
the  Indians  soon  scattered  and  the  Illinois  tribe  alone 
was  left.  Among  them  remained  a  number  of  French 
traders,  trappers  and  priests.  Some  years  later,  1695, 
the  rumor  spread  that  the  red-handed  Iroquois  were  coming 
again  to  match  tomahawks  with  the  Illinois.  The  Illinois 
had  no  relish  for  another  encounter  with  this  dreaded  foe. 
So  they  moved  down  the  river  to  the  Mississippi,  accom- 
panied by  the  French  priests  and  fur  traders.  This  change 
may  have  been  urged  by  the  priests  and  the  traders,  who 
wished  to  be  in  closer  touch  with  the  new  French  settle- 
ments on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Kaskaskia  Founded.  Between  the  mouths  of  the 
Illinois  and  the  Kaskaskia  rivers,  there  is  a  fine,  fertile 
tract  that  came  to  be  called  the  American  Bottom.  Here, 
near  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  the  Illinois  Indians 
pitched  their  wigwams.  The  town  that  soon  grew  up 
about  them  they  called  Kaskaskia,  as  they  did  also  the 
river  near  by. 

Starved  Rock.  Some  members  of  the  Illinois  tribe 
had,  however,  chosen  to  remain  upon  the  beautiful  Illinois 
River.  In  1769,  they  were  charged  with  the  assassination 

86 


St.  Louts 


/x£- 


Spring 


(FAC  SIMILE) 

APLA7V 

of  the  several  Villages  *'»  M* 

ILLINOIS  COUNTRY, 

with  Part  of  the 

River  Mississippi  &c, 

by 


Scale  of  Miles 


'THE  AMERICAN  BOTTOM" 


88  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

of  Pontiac,  and  the  tribe  with  whom  he  had  been  connected 
attacked  them  from  the  north.  A  bloody  engagement  took 
place  near  the  site  of  Fort  St.  Louis.  Badly  beaten,  the 
Illinois  band  escaped  in  the  night  and  climbed  up  the 
rocky  bluff  where  the  fort  had  been.  Here  they  were 
besieged  for  twelve  days.  At  last,  being  unable  to  get 
water  and  provisions,  they  resolved  to  sell  their  lives  as 
dearly  as  possible,  and  to  die  fighting  rather  than  to  starve. 
They  sallied  forth  to  battle,  but  in  their  exhausted  condi- 
tion they  fell  easy  victims  to  their  watchful  enemies  below. 
The  victors  then  climbed  the  heights  and  tomahawked  the 
remaining  ones,  who  had  been  too  weak  or  too  timid  to 
join  in  the  last  struggle.  Only  one  escaped  to  tell  the 
tale.  The  whitening  bones  marked  the  summit  of  this 
bluff  for  years,  and  that  is  why  it  took  the  name  of 
Starved  Rock. 

Kaskaskia  Flourishes.  The  new  village  of  Kaskaskia 
prospered.  The  soil  of  the  great  American  Bottom  was 
so  rich  that  crops  of  squash,  pumpkins  and  corn  grew 
with  little  labor.  This  was  a  splendid  location,  too,  for 
the  fur  trade.  Canoes  loaded  with  peltries  paddled  down 
the  Wisconsin,  Rock,  and  Illinois  rivers  on  the  east,  and 
the  great  muddy  Missouri  on  the  west,  as  well  as  on  the 
Mississippi  itself,  to  Kaskaskia.  Here  was  a  good  place 
to  collect  hides  and  furs  from  the  trappers  and  send  them 
on  to  New  Orleans.  The  Indians  also  found  Kaskaskia 
a  convenient  place  to  start  from,  on  hunting  or 
fighting  expeditions. 

Fort  Chartres  Built.  The  Mississippi  was  fast  becoming 
the  passage-way  for  the  French  going  from  Canada  and 
the  Great  Lakes  to  the  new  settlements  on  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  New  Orleans  was  founded  by  them  in  1718, 
and  a  small  army  was  soon  on  its  way  to  the  Illinois  to 
build  a  fort.  Its  walls  were  made  first  of  wood,  but  later 


KASKASKIA  UNDER  FRANCE  AND  ENGLAND  89 

of  limestone.  They  were  two  feet  thick  and  sixteen  feet 
high.  This  stone  fort  was  thought  to  be  the  strongest  in 
America.  Fort  Chartres,  for  so  they  named  it,  was  the 
seat  of  the  government  of  Illinois  while  the  French 
ruled  here. 

Other  Villages  Founded.  Other  settlements  sprang  up 
in  this  region.  Hither  came  immigrants  from  Canada  in 
large  numbers,  when  they  heard  that  the  soil  was  very 
fertile,  and  the  climate  much  milder  than  in  their  frigid 
settlements  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  Some  came  also  from 
New  Orleans,  but  for  another  reason.  They  had  heard 
that  the  climate  of  Illinois  was  cool,  and  the  hunting  and 
trapping  good. 

How  the  French  Lived.  These  early  French  settlers 
lived  mainly  by  hunting.  The  plains  were  covered  with 
buffalo,  deer,  and  elk,  while  the  forests  abounded  in  game 
and  wild  fowl.  During  those  early  days  Kaskaskia  was 
the  largest  town  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  It  was 
the  center  of  social  life  and  gayety.  The  latest  fashions 
of  New  Orleans  and  Paris  were  copied  here  in  the  wilderness 
with  great  pride.  The  ballroom  was  the  scene  of  much 
pleasure.  There  met  the  rich  and  poor,  the  old  and  young, 
to  indulge  in  their  favorite  pastimes.  The  priest,  too, 
came  to  look  on.  New  Year's  eve  was  the  merriest  event 
of  all.  The  whole  village  assembled,  each  one  bringing 
some  refreshments,  and  gayly  they  danced  the  old  year 
away. 

In  the  ballroom  everything  was  well  ordered.  Two 
elderly  persons  were  chosen  provosts.  It  was  their  duty 
to  select  persons  for  the  dance,  one  choosing  the  ladies 
and  the  other  the  men.  Each  one  danced  in  proper  turn, 
and  no  one  was  slighted.  The  provosts  also  decided  upon 
the  hour  to  retire  and  the  time  to  meet  again.  In  this 
manner,  many  winter  nights  were  happily  spent. 


90  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

French  Dress.  Blue  was  the  favorite  color  in  dress. 
Men  wore  coarse  blue  pantaloons  in  summer  and  buck- 
skin in  winter.  Hats  were  little  used.  Blue  handker- 
chiefs appeared  on  the  heads  of  both  men  and  women 
instead.  In  winter  was  worn  a  cape  of  white,  with  a  cap 
fastened  behind.  The  cap  rested  upon  the  shoulders  when 
the  weather  was  warm.  In  cold  weather  it  was  drawn 
snugly  over  the  head.  Deer-skin  moccasins  were  worn 
by  both  sexes  indoors,  and  they  were  often  neat  as  well 
as  serviceable.  Out  of  doors,  the  men  wore  on  their  feet  a 
thick  leather  called  by  the  Americans,  "shoe  packs."  In 
those  days  a  man  scarcely  thought  himself  properly  clothed 
without  a  belt.  Suspended  to  this,  on  one  side  was  a  tanned 
pole-cat  skin  bag  containing  a  pipe  and  tobacco,  and  a 
flint  and  steel  for  use  in  starting  a  fire.  On  the  other  side 
hung  the  hunting  knife. 

The  French  Till  the  Soil.  While  hunting  and  trapping 
were  the  main  occupations,  yet  as  the  years  passed,  there 
came  to  be  considerable  agriculture.  They  raised  wheat,  oats 
and  tobacco.  Corn  was  grown,  too,  but  mainly  to  fatten 
hogs.  They  often  made  hominy,  but  never  corn  bread. 

Their  farming  tools  were  rude  and  poor.  The  plows 
were  of  wood,  with  a  small  piece  of  iron  tied  on  with  raw- 
hide, to  cut  the  soil.  For  a  hundred  years  no  wagon  was 
seen  in  the  prairie  country.  The  French  used  carts  with 
wheels  of  solid  wood.  There  was  no  tire  of  iron.  Neither 
oil  nor  grease  was  applied  to  the  wheels,  and  their  creaking 
could  be  heard  a  long  distance  away.  There  being  no  rocks 
or  stones,  these  wooden  wheels  lasted  well.  The  Americans 
called  them  "bare-footed  carts." 

They  had  horses  of  Arabian  breed,  introduced  into 
America  by  the  Spaniards.  The  harness  for  these  was  not 
made  of  tanned  leather,  for  the  French  did  not  go  to  the 
trouble  to  tan  for  any  purpose.  Neat  harness  was  made  of 


TAKING   POSSESSION   FOR   FRANCE 


LIBRARY 
OF  .THE 

Or  US  '  3 


KASKASKIA  UNDER  FRANCE  AND  ENGLAND  93 

rawhide,  strong  and  tough.  Horses  were  not  driven  abreast, 
but  one  before  the  other,  tandem,  we  call  it.  They  were 
never  hitched  to  plows.  The  French  used  cattle  for  this 
labor.  Oxen  were  yoked  by  the  horns,  rather  than  by  the 
neck.  The  ox-yoke  was  a  straight  stick  of  wood,  cut  at 
the  ends  to  fit  the  horns  of  the  oxen  to  which  it  was  tied 
with  thongs.  It  is  said  that  these  animals  can  draw  as 
heavy  a  load  with  their  heads  as  with  their  necks. 

The  Beginning  of  Commerce.  As  time  passed,  a  profit- 
able trade  sprang  up  with  the  French  settlements  on  the 
Gulf.  Regular  cargoes  of  flour,  bacon,  hides  and  tallow, 
of  leather,  lumber,  wine,  lead,  and  furs  were  transported 
in  keel  boats  and  barges  to  New  Orleans,  where  was  found 
an  excellent  market.  On  their  homeward  voyage,  the  boats 
brought  such  articles  as  sugar,  rice,  indigo,  cotton,  and 
manufactured  tobacco.  The  Frenchmen  moved  against 
the  current  by  towing,  sailing,  and  cordelling,  which  last 
consisted  in  pulling  the  boat  up  stream  with  a  long  rope, 
one  end  of  which  was  tied  to  a  tree,  the  other  end  in  the 
hands  of  the  men  on  board.  The  round  trip  often  took 
four  months. 

Their  Government.  So  happy  and  contented  were 
these  French  peasants  that  they  got  along  well  without  any 
government.  Neither  did  they  pay  any  taxes,  except  the 
dues  to  the  priest  and  to  the  fiddler.  The  priest  held  gentle 
sway  over  them.  He  settled  all  disputes  among  his  flock, 
and  from  his  decision  there  was  no  appeal;  yet  he  never 
abused  his  power.  He  was,  indeed,  their  gentle  shepherd. 

Rivalry  Between  England  and  France.  We  have  seen 
how  England  and  France  vied  with  each  other  to  get 
possession  of  North  America;  how  France  seized  upon 
the  St.  Lawrence  and  Mississippi  valleys,  the  two  gateways 
to  the  heart  of  the  continent,  and  how  she  set  about  defend- 
ing it  by  a  line  of  forts  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Gulf  of 


94 

Mexico,  leaving  to  England  only  a  narrow  strip  along 
the  Atlantic  coast. 

England  had  no  intention  of  stopping  at  the  summit 
of  the  Alleghanies.  Claiming  the  whole  of  the  continent 
by  virtue  of  its  discovery  by  John  Cabot,  she  gave  to 
several  colonies  grants  extending  from  sea  to  sea.  Englkh 
pioneers  soon  pushed  through  the  mountain  passes  into 
the  Ohio  valley,  only  to  be  ordered  out  by  the  French. 
A  series  of  wars  broke  out,  lasting  nearly  a  hundred  years. 
At  last,  in  1763,  France  was  forced  to  give  up  to  England 
all  land  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

A  year  later,  England  sent  Captain  Thomas  Sterling 
from  Fort  Pitt,  Pittsburg,  with  a  hundred  Highlanders 
to  take  possession  of  Fort  Chartres  and  the  Illinois  coun- 
try. Descending  the  Ohio,  he  arrived  at  his  destination 
in  1765.  He  immediately  hauled  down  the  "Lilies  of 
France"  from  the  fort  and  ran  up  the  Union  Jack.  The 
French  in  Illinois  were  highly  displeased  that  England, 
their  ancient  enemy,  should  rule  over  their  villages.  They 
feared  that  the  British,  being  a  Protestant  nation,  would 
interfere  with  their  religious  worship,  and  they  planned 
to  emigrate  across  the  Mississippi.  But  Captain  Sterling 
hastened  to  assure  them  that  he  had  no  intention  of  inter- 
fering with  their  worship.  However,  many  did  not  like 
to  live  under  the  Cross  of  Saint  George,  and  so  moved  to 
New  Orleans  or  to  St.  Louis,  where  the  French  flag  still 
floated,  taking  their  slaves  and  their  property  with  them. 
At  least  a  third  of  the  inhabitants  left  the  Illinois  country 
at  this  time.  They  soon  learned,  to  their  great  disgust, 
that  France  had  ceded  all  land  west  of  the  Mississippi  to 
the  Spaniards. 

The  French  Control  the  Fur  Trade.  The  English  tried 
very  hard  to  make  friends  with  the  Indians,  in  order  to 
control  the  rich  fur  trade  of  the  prairies.  But  the  French 


KASKASKIA  UNDER  FRANCE  AND  ENGLAND   95 

fur  traders,  who  had  moved  across  the  Mississippi,  were 
not  willing  to  give  up  this  profitable  commerce  if  they 
could  avoid  it.  The  Indians  naturally  liked  the  French 
better  because  they  had  grown  up  together  like  children. 
The  French  had  adopted  Indian  customs  and  manners, 
and  had  treated  the  savages  like  brothers.  They  often 
supplied  them  with  food  and  joined  in  their  war  dances. 
Many  Frenchmen  even  took  Indian  women  for  their 
wives.  Besides,  they  had,  in  a  manner,  taught  the  Indians 
to  hate  the  British.  So,  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  persuade 
the  red  men  to  bring  their  peltries  to  St.  Louis  to  sell. 
From  here  they  were  shipped  to  New  Orleans.  In  this 
way  the  British  were  cheated  out  of  the  rich  traffic. 

Early  Fortifications.  Fort  Chartres  was,  for  some 
reason,  built  on  the  river  bottom  about  a  mile  from  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi.  Its  limestone  walls  were  proof 
against  the  attack  of  human  enemies,  but  the  "Father  of 
Waters"  was  not  taken  into  account.  The  Mississippi 
gradually  wore  away  the  east  bank  and  approached  the 
fort  until  it  undermined  the  defiant  walls.  The  fort  was 
abandoned  and  the  government  transferred  to  a  new  for- 
tress, named  Fort  Gage,  opposite  Kaskaskia.  What  is 
left  of  the  old  fort  is  now  on  an  island  in  the  Mississippi, 
the  channel  having  changed  during  a  flood. 

Captain  Sterling  lived  but  a  short  time.  After  his 
death  the  British  garrison  became  tired  of  their  lonely 
life  in  the  wilderness.  They  were  disappointed,  too,  at 
not  sharing  richly  in  the  fur  trade.  So  they  sailed  off 
down  the  Mississippi  never  to  return.  Thus  the  govern- 
ment of  the  country  again  came  into  French  hands,  though 
it  still  was  carried  on  in  the  name  of  George  III. 

When  the  King  of  England  saw  war  approaching  with 
his  American  colonies,  the  entire  country,  northwest  of 
the  Ohio,  was  annexed  to  the  province  of  Quebec.  By 


96  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

this  act  George  III.  hoped  to  secure  the  aid  of  that  province 
against  the  other  English  colonies.  In  case  the  colonies 
should  win,  this  might  save  this  great  region  to  England. 
But,  we  shall  see  how  George  Rogers  Clark  upset  this  plan. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Why  was  the  village  at  Ft.  St.   Louis  abandoned? 

2.  Tell  the  story  of  the  founding  of  Kaskaskia. 

3.  Describe  the  manner  of  life  of  the  early  French  settlers  at 
Kaskaskia. 

4.  What  geographic  advantage  had  New  Orleans  in  securing 
and  controlling  trade? 

5.  Why  was  this  advantage  later  lost  to  the  post  at  St.  Louis? 

6.  What    circumstances    aided    England    in    her    conflict    with 
France  for  the  control  of  this  continent? 

LESSON   HELPS 

Kaskaskia  Before  the  Coming  of  Clark.  In  hunting  and  fish- 
ing; in  agriculture  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  with  implements 
which  might  have  been  used  two  thousand  years  before;  in  trad- 
ing down  the  river  to  New  Orleans;  in  feasting,  in  frolic  with  all  the 
gayety  of  their  French  nationality,  the  uneventful  days  glided  by. 
Except  at  Kaskaskia,  there  was  not  a  school  in  the  whole  territory, 
although,  incredible  as  it  may  seem,  there  was  a  billiard  table  in 
the  settlement  on  the  Wabash!  The  little  education  received  was 
imparted  by  the  faithful  and  devoted  missionaries  who  dwelt  among 
them. 

Kaskaskia  and  Fort  Chartres,  the  principal  military  posts,  were 
turned  over  to  the  English  in  1765,  and  the  post  at  Vincennes  some- 
time later.  The  conquest  made  little  difference,  however,  to  the 
inhabitants.  — CYRUS  TOWNSEND  BRADY. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Kaskaskia  Records.     Alvord. 

Illinois  in  the  18th  Century.     Mason. 

History  of  Illinois  under  French  Rule.     Wallace. 

The  Settlement  of  Illinois.     Boggess. 

Pioneer  Life  in  Illinois.     Ferryman. 

English  Settlement  in  Illinois.     Sparks. 


CHAPTER   VII 

As  Clark  and  his  men  lay  there  by  the  postern  gate  they  could 
hear  the  sounds  of  French  fiddles  squeaking  a  quadrille,  and  now 
and  then  gay  shouts  of  laughter.  — REUBEN  GOLD  THWAITES. 

COLONEL  CLARK  AT  KASKASKIA 

The  "Hair-Buyer"  General.  During  the  Revolution, 
when  the  thirteen  colonies  were  fighting  for  their  independ- 
ence, the  British  had  garrisons  at  Detroit,  Kaskaskia 
and  Vincennes.  Governor  Hamilton  ruled  over  this  entire 
region,  with  headquarters  at  Detroit.  His  instructions 
were  to  hold  this  vast  wilderness  for  King  George  III., 
and  to  stir  up  the  Indians  to  make  war  on  the  Americans. 
He  was  called  by  the  Americans  the  "Hair-buyer"  General, 
because  he  paid  the  Indians  for  every  scalp  they  brought  in. 
With  the  aid  of  these  savage  butchers,  Hamilton  planned 
to  drive  the  American  frontiersmen  back  over  the  Alleghany 
Mountains.  The  savages,  urged  on  by  the  British  gold, 
massacred  men,  women  and  helpless  children  wherever 
they  could  find  them.  They  made  journeys  of  hundreds 
of  miles  for  .their  bloody  work.  Sometimes  they  even 
crossed  the  Ohio  River  into  Kentucky,  spreading  terror 
and  destruction  behind  them.  It  was  no  uncommon  thing 
for  a  frontier  farmer,  on  returning  home  after  a  day's 
work,  to  find  his  log  cabin  in  ashes  and  his  wife  and 
children  murdered. 

Plans  of  Colonel  Clark.  Among  these  sturdy  frontier 
folk  was  an  Indian  fighter  named  George  Rogers  Clark,  who 
had  been  appointed  colonel  to  protect  the  western  settle- 
ments. He  was  determined  to  punish  the  Indians,  and  was 

97 


98  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

also  bent  on  teaching  Hamilton  a  lesson  for  setting  on  the 
heartless  red  men.  His  plan  was  to  capture  the  British 
strongholds,  put  the  wicked  Hamilton  in  irons,  and  drive 
the  Redcoats  out  of  the  entire  Northwest.  Educated  in 
the  frontier  school  of  "hard  knocks,"  Clark  was  just  the 
man  for  this  undertaking.  He  could  outwit  the  enemy  every 
time,  and  he  knew  the  Indians  like  a  book.  With  a  hand- 
ful of  men,  he  was  able  to  pass  through  the  forests  and 
make  the  savages  believe  he  had  a  great  army.  If  anybody 
could  drive  the  British  out  of  the  Northwest  country,  it 
was  Clark. 

It  costs  a  great  deal  to  equip  and  support  an  army, 
besides,  the  soldiers  must  be  paid.  Having  no  money, 
Clark  set  out  for  Williamsburg,  the  capital  of  Virginia, 
to  lay  his  plans  before  Governor  Patrick  Henry  and  his 
Council,  because  Virginia  claimed  not  only  Kentucky,  but 
all  the  territory  north  of  the  Ohio  river,  through  a  charter 
given  her  by  the  King  in  1609. 

Governor  Henry  was  well  pleased  with  Clark's  plan. 
But  Virginia  could  not  spare  much  money  nor  many 
soldiers,  for  every  man  was  needed  to  fight  the  great 
British  armies  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  Governor  Henry, 
however,  did  the  best  he  could.  He  commissioned  Clark 
to  raise  seven  companies  of  fifty  men  each  among  the 
frontier  settlements,  to  serve  three  months.  The  Governor 
furnished  the  guns  and  ammunition,  as  well  as  the  boats  to 
take  the  army  from  Pittsburg  down  the  Ohio.  Clark  was 
given  six  thousand  dollars  in  paper  money  to  pay  his  sol- 
diers, each  of  whom  was  to  have,  in  addition,  three  hundred 
acres  of  land,  if  they  drove  out  the  Redcoats. 

In  order  to  succeed  with  this  small  army,  Clark  knew 
he  would  have  to  take  the  British  by  surprise.  For  fear 
his  purpose  might  be  reported  to  Hamilton,  he  kept  his 
plans  a  profound  secret.  Not  a  man  in  his  army  knew 


COLONEL   CLARK   AT   KASKASKIA  99 

where  they  were  to  be  led.  They  supposed  that  the  Indians 
alone  were  to  be  punished. 

Clark  was  popular  wherever  he  was  known,  and  the 
sharpshooters  and  trappers  of  the  mountain  valleys  gladly 
joined  his  band,  although  they  knew  the  campaign  against 
the  Indians  would  be  a  hard  one.  But  he  was  unable  to 
muster  more  than  four  companies,  because  many  frontiers- 
men feared  to  go  far  away  to  fight,  and  leave  their  own 
homes  unprotected. 

The  Expedition  Leaves  Pittsburg.  After  some  delay, 
Colonel  Clark  embarked  at  Pittsburg  with  two  hundred 
men,  and  floated  down  the  Ohio.  As  they  went  day  after 
day  with  no  Indians  in  sight,  nothing  but  the  wilderness 
about  them,  the  soldiers  began  to  complain  because  they 
were  already  so  far  away  from  their  families.  When 
they  reached  Corn  Island  in  the  rapids  of  the  Ohio,  opposite 
where  Louisville  now  stands,  some  of  the  dissatisfied  soldiers 
threatened  to  desert,  so  Clark  decided  to  land.  He  built  a 
block  house  on  the  island  to  protect  his  supplies,  and  planted 
a  crop  of  Indian  corn.  Some  time  was  spent  in  drilling  his 
men.  They  were  not  in  uniform,  but  wore  the  hunting 
shirt,  leggings  and  moccasins  of  the  backwoodsman. 
They  were  armed  with  long,  heavy,  flintlock  rifles,  and 
carried  hatchets  and  long  knives  in  their  belts.  A  powder 
horn  hung  at  one  side  and  a  game  bag  at  the  other.  The 
head  was  covered  with  a  squirrel-skin  or  fox-skin  cap, 
with  the  tail  dangling  behind. 

Clark  Makes  Known  the  Secret.  Clark  now  told  his 
soldiers  that  he  was  going  to  lead  them  against  the  Red- 
coats at  Kaskaskia.  Most  of  them  were  delighted.  They 
were  ready  to  follow  their  brave  leader  anywhere.  Some, 
however,  objected  to  the  journey  and  wished  to  return 
home.  As  Clark  needed  every  man,  he  refused  to  let 
them  go.  At  night  they  slipped  by  the  guards,  waded  to 


100 


THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 


the  Kentucky  shore  and  took  to  the  woods.  Some  were 
captured  the  next  morning  and  brought  back,  but  most  of 
the  deserters  made  good  their  escape.  This  left  Clark 
but  a  small  band  to  do  the  great  work  he  had  set  before 
him.  The  British  were  in  strong  forts.  Thousands  of 
savages  were  aiding  them.  Besides,  there  were  hundreds 


--if- 


CLARK'S  ROUTE  TO  KASKASKIA 

of  French  allies.  Against  such  an  enemy,  Clark  was  march- 
ing with  but  one  hundred  fifty-three  men,  and  with  no 
cannon.  But  nothing  seemed  too  hard  for  this  brave 
soldier.  Had  he  not  often  beaten  a  whole  tribe  of  Indians 
with  a  few  followers? 

Clark  Divides  His  Forces.  Leaving  a  few  men  on 
Corn  Island  to  protect  his  supplies  and  raise  a  crop,  Clark 
embarked  with  the  others  and  passed  down  the  Ohio  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee,  where  he  met  a  party  of  hunt- 
ers from  Kaskaskia.  He  made  friends  with  them  at  once 


COLONEL   CLARK   AT   KASKASKIA          101 

and  obtained  from  them  valuable  information.  They  told 
him  who  was  the  commander  of  Fort  Gage,  at  Kaskaskia. 
They  said  the  fort  was  strong  and  the  garrison  well  drilled, 
and  that  the  commander  was  on  the  lookout  for  enemies 
who  might  be  coming  up  the  Mississippi  to  attack  his  fort. 
Before  leaving  Corn  Island,  Clark  received  a  letter  from 
home  stating  that  the  King  of  France  had  recently  joined 
forces  with  the  Americans  against  the  haughty  British. 
This  good  news  he  thought  could  be  used  when  he  met  the 
French  in  Illinois.  The  hunters  told  Clark  that  the  British 
had  led  the  French  at  Kaskaskia  to  believe  that  the  "Long 
Knives,"  as  they  called  the  frontiersmen,  were  more  savage 
than  the  Indians,  or  even  cannibals.  This  bit  of  news  Clark 
also  planned  to  use  when  he  met  the  enemy. 

He  Changes  His  Plans.  It  seemed  as  clear  as  daylight 
to  Clark,  that  he  could  not  take  Kaskaskia  except  by  sur- 
prise. When  informed  by  the  hunters  that  the  British 
had  scouts  out  on  the  Mississippi,  he  concluded  to  change 
his  route.  He  planned  to  leave  the  river  and  march  straight 
across  the  country  to  Kaskaskia,  and  take  the  British 
unawares,  for  they  would  hardly  dream  of  any  enemy  com- 
ing through  the  pathbss  wilderness,  when  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  rivers  offered  an  easy  route  to  the  same  place. 

The  distance  overland  was  one  hundred  twenty  miles, 
and  a  most  difficult  journey  for  an  army  without  wagons 
and  provisions,  but  it  was  his  only  chance  to  surprise 
the  enemy.  Securing  one  of  the  hunters  to  guide  his  band, 
he  set  out  through  the  forest.  The  guide  once  lost  the 
way,  and  the  men  were  about  to  shoot  him  for  treachery, 
when  he  again  discovered  the  trail.  At  last  after  much 
hardship,  he  brought  Clark's  little  company  in  sight  of 
Kaskaskia  and  Fort  Gage,  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  1778. 
Colonel  Clark  concealed  his  men  until  dark  and  sent 
scouts  to  reconnoitre  and  bring  back  a  report.  They 


102  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

returned  with  the  good  news  that  all  was  quiet,  and  that 
the  British  and  French  were  behaving  as  though  there 
were  no  enemy  within  a  thousand  miles.  When  night 
came,  Colonel  Clark  advanced  to  a  house  close  to  the  vil- 
lage. He  decided  to  'strike  both  the  fort  and  the  village 
at  the  same  time.  So  he  divided  his  band — it  could  hardly 
be  called  an  army.  He  sent  one  party  under  the  fearless 
Captain.  Helm  to  capture  the  village,  while  he,  at  the  same 
time,  led  the  others  against  the  fort.  Before  advancing 
to  battle,  Colonel  Clark  gave  a  short  address  to  his  soldiers. 
He  said:  "Soldiers!  We  are  near  the  enemy,  for  which  we 
we  have  been  struggling  for  years.  We  are  not  fighting 
alone  for  liberty  and  independence,  but  for  the  defense  of 
our  own  frontiers  from  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife 
of  the  Indians.  We  are  defending  the  lives  of  our  own 
women  and  children,  although  a  long  distance  from  them. 
These  British  garrisons  furnish  the  Indians  with  powder  and 
lead  to  desolate  the  frontiers;  and  pay  gold  for  human 
scalps.  We  must  take  and  destroy  these  garrisons.  The 
fort  before  us  is  one  of  them,  and  it  must  be  taken.  We  can 
not  retreat.  We  have  no  provisions;  but  we  must  conquer. 
This  is  the  Fourth  of  July.  We  must  act  to  honor  it; 
and  let  it  not  be  said  in  after  times  that  Virginians  were 
defeated  on  that  memorable  day.  The  fort  and  town, 
I  repeat,  must  be  taken  at  all  hazards." 

The  Town  and  Fort  Captured.  The  troops  then  separ- 
ated, Captain  Helm  advancing  on  the  town.  His  men 
entered  the  village  in  silence,  and  no  one  dreamed  of  the 
presence  of  the  dreadful  "Long  Knives"  in  their  midst. 
Suddenly  Helm's  men  set  up  such  a  terrific  howling  and 
yelling  that  the  inhabitants  were  frightened  almost  out 
of  their  senses.  They  now  felt  sure  these  "Long  Knives" 
were  demons,  and  they  prepared  for  the  worst.  Helm's 
men  told  them  to  remain  quietly  in  their  houses  and  they 


GEORGE    ROGERS   CLARK 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  Cr  LI 


COLONEL  CLARK   AT   KASKASKIA          105 

would  not  be  hurt,  but  if  they  came  out  or  showed  resistance 
they  would  be  eaten  alive.  The  poor  French  believed  it, 
too,  for  not  a  man  of  them  showed  himself.  Two  hours  later 
they  gave  up  all  their  arms,  thinking  this  the  only  way  of 
saving  themselves  from  a  frightful  death.  So,  without  fir- 
ing a  gun,  or  so  much  as  injuring  a  single  hair  of  a  French- 
man's head,  Captain  Helm  had  captured  the  village  of 
Kaskaskia  and  run  up  the  stars  and  stripes. 

While  this  was  taking  place,  Colonel  Clark  was  under- 
taking the  more  dangerous  task  of  capturing  a  strong 
British  fort  defended  by  well-trained  soldiers  with  cannon. 
Having  no  heavy  guns,  Clark  had  to  rely  on  his  wits.  His 
band  advanced  very  quietly.  A  pack  of  dogs  soon  set  up 
a  loud  barking.  But  even  this  did  not  disturb  the  deep 
slumber  of  the  Redcoats.  Clark's  men  entered  a  small 
back  gate  and  took  possession  of  the  fort  before  anybody 
knew  that  an  enemy  was  near.  They  entered  the  command- 
ing officer's  chamber,  and  had  some  difficulty  in  arousing 
him  sufficiently  to  inform  him  that  he  was  their  prisoner 
of  war.  He  was  furious  to  think  he  had  been  surprised  and 
that  his  fort,  strongly  protected  with  cannon  and  manned 
by  regulars,  had  surrendered  to  a  beggarly  handful  of  back- 
woodsmen. He  became  so  insolent  that  Clark,  as  a  lesson 
to  others,  put  him  in  chains  and  sent  him  to  Virginia. 

The  Captives  Are  Well  Treated.  The  next  day  the 
"Long  Knives"  tried  to  live  up  to  what  the  French  believed 
them  to  be,  the  most  bloodthirsty  creatures  on  earth. 
They  did  not  hurt  anybody,  but  they  made  the  French 
think  that  their  last  days  had  come.  Having  had  no 
opportunity  to  shave  for  months,  and  no  change  of  cloth- 
ing, their  ragged,  half-naked  appearance  struck  terror  to 
the  hearts  of  the  simple  French,  who  now  prepared  for  the 
worst  tortures  imaginable.  The  priest  and  a  few  leading 
citizens  waited  upon  Colonel  Clark,  begging  him  to  permit 


106  THE  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

the  inhabitants  of  Kaskaskia  to  meet  in  the  church  once 
more  before  they  were  put  to  death  or  shipped,  like  the 
Acadians,  to  a  foreign  land.  Clark  now  thought  he  had 
worked  them  up  to  the  highest  pitch  of  terror,  so  he 
addressed  them  in  these  words:  "Do  you  mistake  us  for 
savages?  Do  you  think  Americans  will  strip  women  and 
children  and  take  bread  out  of  their  mouths?  My  country 
disdains  to  make  war  on  innocence.  To  prevent  the  horrors 
of  Indian  butchery  on  our  wives  and  children,  we  have  taken 
up  arms  and  penetrated  to  this  stronghold  of  Indian  and 
British  barbarity,  and  not  for  despicable  plunder.  The 
King  of  France  has  united  his  powerful  arms  with  those  of 
the  American  colonists,  and  the  war  will  soon  be  ended. 
The  people  of  Kaskaskia  may  side  with  either  party.  To 
verify  my  words,  go  tell  your  people  to  do  as  they  please, 
without  any  danger  from  me." 

This  good  news  was  so  unexpected  that  the  French 
went  wild  with  joy.  They  entered  the  church  to  render 
thanks  to  God  for  their  deliverance  from  the  jaws  of 
death.  With  all  speed  they  hastened  to  swear  friendship 
to  Clark.  They  promised  to  help  him  drive  out  the  Brit- 
ish, with  whom  they  had  never  been  very  friendly.  This 
was  just  as  Clark  would  have  it,  for  he  needed  the  help 
of  the  French  in  order  to  hold  this  vast  region,  since  his 
soldiers  were  so  few.  Then  the  people  of  Kaskaskia  per- 
suaded their  neighbors  of  Cahokia  to  receive  the  Americans 
without  resistance.  Thus  another  town  came  into  Clark's 
hands  without  bloodshed.  This  great  fighter  always  used 
his  head  to  win  victories,  and  in  this  way  he  saved  the 
lives  of  his  soldiers. 

Having  now  served  the  full  three  months  for  which 
they  enlisted,  Clark's  soldiers  clamored  to  be  mustered 
out  and  sent  home.  What  could  he  do?  He  knew  the 
country  ought  to  be  held  until  peace  was  made,  yet  he  had 


COLONEL   CLARK   AT   KASKASKIA         107 

no  right  to  keep  the  soldiers  who  had  served  out  their 
time.  A  hundred  having  agreed  to  stay,  Clark  organized 
a  new  company.  With  these  and  what  help  he  could  get 
from  the  French  and  Indians,  he  vowed  he  would  hold 
the  land  he  had  captured. 

TOPICS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND    STUDY 

1.  Explain    how    Governor    Hamilton    became    known    as    the 
"Hair-Buyer." 

2.  How  would  Hamilton's  conduct  be  considered   by  civilized 
nations  today? 

3.  What  preparation  had  Colonel  Clark  for  his  undertaking? 

4.  Give  an  account  of  his  expedition  and  the  capture  of  Kaskaskia. 

5.  What  was  the  attitude   of   the   French   settlers   toward   the 
"Long  Knives"? 

6.  What  steps  did  Clark  take  to  strengthen  his  position? 

LESSON   HELPS 

The  Capture  of  Kaskaskia.  The  story  of  his  exploits  reads 
more  like  one  of  James  Fenimore  Cooper's  fanciful  Indian  tales 
than  like  sober  history;  how  he  surprised  the  post  at  Kaskaskia 
without  a  blow,  and,  by  intrepid  assurance  and  skillful  diplomacy, 
induced  the  French  and  Indians  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  to  transfer 
their  allegiance  from  the  British  Empire  to  the  new  American 
Republic.  — DAVID  SAVILLE  MUZZEY. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Clark  and  His  Conquest  of  the  Great  West.  Outing,  Vol.  49, 
Pages  474-481. 

Border  Fights  and  Fighters.     Brady. 

Pioneers  of  Illinois.     Matson. 

Kaskaskia  Records.     Alvord. 

How  Clark  Won  the  Northwest.     Thwaites. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Wading  in  the  cold  waters  of  the  spring  floods,  breaking  through 
the  thin  ice,  living  on  scanty  rations,  Clark  and  his  men  captured 
and  recaptured  Vincennes  and  the  other  forts  and  towns  within  the 
district,  and  held  them  until  peace  was  declared. 

— EDWIN  ERLE  SPARKS. 

CLARK   CAPTURES   VINCENNES 

Captain  Helm  Sent  to  Vincennes.  Hearing  that  there 
were  no  British  soldiers  in  the  fort  at  Vincennes,  but  that 
it  was  manned  by  a  few  French,  Father  Gibault,  the  vil- 
lage priest  of  Kaskaskia,  undertook  to  bring  the  people  of 
Vincennes  over  to  the  American  side.  He  succeeded,  and 
Clark  sent  Captain  Helm  with  a  few  French  recruits  to 
take  possession  of  that  town  and  fort.  Helm,  like  Clark, 
knew  well  how  to  manage  the  red  men.  He  tactfully  won 
all  the  Indians  of  the  Wabash  country  to  his  side. 

Governor  Hamilton  Takes  the  Field.  Hamilton,  still 
in  command  at  Detroit,  was  chagrined  at  the  loss  of  Vin- 
cennes. He  set  about  to  regain  both  that  city  and  Kas- 
kaskia. With  this  in  view,  he  gathered  together  a  large 
army  of  Canadians  and  Indians,  and  embarked  on  Lake 
Erie  for  the  Wabash  country.  They  paddled  up  the 
Maumee  River,  crossed  the  portage  of  nine  miles  with 
great  labor,  and  floated  down  a  tributary  of  the  Wabash 
toward  Vincennes. 

Upon  hearing  of  their  approach,  the  French  recruits 
under  Captain  Helm  deserted  him,  and  he  was  left  with 
one  lone  man  to  hold  the  fort.  When  Governor  Hamilton 
approached  with  an  army  of  five  hundred  warriors  and 

108 


CLARK   CAPTURES  VINCENNES  109 

Canadians,  he  found  a  loaded  cannon  pointing  out  of  the 
open  gate  of  the  fort,  and  Captain  Helm  standing  by,  with 
a  lighted  match  in  hand  ready  to  fire.  "Halt,"  called 
out  Helm.  Hamilton  demanded  the  immediate  surrender 
of  the  garrison.  Helm  replied  in  a  loud  voice:  "No  man 
shall  enter  here  until  I  know  the  terms."  Hamilton,  sup- 
posing there  was  a  strong  garrison,  answered:  "You  shall 
have  the  honors  of  war."  Helm  then  surrendered,  and 
his  garrison  consisting  of  himself  and  one  private,  marched 
out  and  laid  down  their  arms.  They  had  forced  the  honors 
of  war  from  an  army  of  five  hundred,  to  the  great  disgust 
of  Governor  Hamilton. 

The  winter  coming  on,  Hamilton  concluded  to  postpone 
his  attack  on  Kaskaskia  until  spring,  because  with  the 
river  frozen,  it  would  be  almost  impossible  to  transport 
his  heavy  cannon  and  baggage  through  the  pathless  for- 
ests. He  sent  most  of  his  Indian  allies  home,  to  return 
in  the  spring,  when  he  purposed,  with  a  thousand  Indians 
and  several  hundred  Canadians,  to  capture  Kaskaskia 
and  carry  the  war  to  the  frontier  towns  of  Kentucky. 
Knowing  how  few  were  Clark's  soldiers,  he  felt  sure  of 
taking  them  with  ease,  but  Hamilton  did  not  know  that 
Clark  alone  was  equal  to  a  host.  Had  he  pushed  on  at 
once  he  would  no  doubt  have  made  short  work  of  Clark's 
little  company. 

Clark  in  Difficulty.  When  news  of  the  taking  of  Vin- 
cennes  reached  our  Indian  fighter  at  Kaskaskia,  he  was  in 
hard  straits.  The  Indians  and  French,  who  now  feared  the 
British,  began  to  waver  in  their  loyalty  to  him.  The 
Kaskaskians  wished  to  be  neutral,  but  Clark  would  not 
listen.  He  threatened  to  burn  their  town  if  they  refused 
to  support  him.  At  this,  they  assured  him  of  their  help. 

He  saw,  that  if  he  waited  till  spring,  the  British  would 
come  with  a  large  army  and  his  allies  would  desert  to 


110  THE  STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

them,  and  he  would  be  crushed  or  driven  across  the  Missis- 
sippi. He  said,  "If  I  do  not  take  him,  he  will  take  me." 
So,  hearing  that  Hamilton  had  retained  only  a  small 
garrison,  he  planned  to  attack  Vincennes  before  the  Indian 
army  returned.  "It  was  at  this  moment,"  he  declared, 
"I  would  have  bound  myself  seven  years  a  slave  to  have 
had  five  hundred  troops."  The  best  he  could  do  was  to 
muster  one  hundred  seventy  men — Americans,  French, 
and  Indians.  Again  he  depended  largely  on  finding  the 
enemy  unprepared.  In  order  to  do  this,  he  could  not  take 
the  route  on  the  Ohio  and  Wabash  rivers,  for  these  were 
being  watched.  It  was  two  hundred  thirty  miles  overland 
to  Vincennes.  It  would  have  been  an  easy  journey  in 
summer,  perhaps,  or  even  in  the  dead  of  winter,  when  the 
streams  were  ice-bound  and  the  prairies  frozen,  but  Clark 
started  in  February,  when  the  ice  was  breaking  up,  and  the 
small  streams,  swollen  to  rivers,  were  spread  out  over  the 
valleys.  The  ground  was  soft  and  progress  was  slow. 
Floods  had  driven  away  much  of  the  game,  and  it  was 
with  great  difficulty  that  enough  food  could  be  procured  to 
keep  them  from  starving.  Each  day  one  company  would 
scatter  in  search  of  game  and,  at  night,  invite  the  rest  of 
the  army  to  feast.  Here  the  ever-present  French  fiddle 
helped  revive  the  drooping  spirits  of  the  men.  At  the 
end  of  a  week,  they  arrived  at  the  "drowned  lands"  of  the 
Wabash.  From  here  to  Vincennes  the  country  was  flooded, 
the  water  being  from  three  to  five  feet  deep.  It  rained 
nearly  half  the  time,  but  they  never  halted  on  this  account. 
They  Reach  Vincennes.  They  could  now  hear  the 
morning  and  evening  guns  at  the  fort.  Weak  with  hunger, 
with  ten  miles  of  water  between  them  and  the  enemy,  the 
little  army  was  in  deep  gloom.  They  had  no  boats.  The 
game  had  disappeared,  and  they  dared  not  shoot  for  fear 
of  being  discovered.  Often  they  waded  in  water  up  to  the 


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CLARK   CAPTURES   VINCENNES  113 

armpits,  and  camped  at  night,  wet  to  the  skin,  without 
food  or  fire.  Two  days  having  passed  without  a  mouthful 
of  food,  it  now  became  necessary  to  help  along  those  weak 
from  hunger.  At  noon  of  the  following  day,  a  canoe  with 
five  Frenchmen  from  the  village  came  upon  them,  who  told 
Clark  that  Hamilton  had  no  suspicion  of  their  presence, 
and  that  the  French  in  Vincennes  were  kindly  disposed 
toward  them.  This,  together  with  the  killing  of  a  deer, 
gave  the  little  army  new  courage. 

Placing  the  weak  and  famished  in  canoes,  they  again 
plunged  into  the  flooded  valley,  wading  and  holding  their 
guns  above  the  water.  In  places  the  pack  horses  had  to 
swim,  while  their  loads  were  transported  on  rafts.  At 
best,  they  could  advance  but  two  or  three  miles  a  day. 
At  last  they  reached  dry  ground  a  short  distance  from  the 
village,  where  the  half-starved  soldiers  soon  forgot  their 
suffering.  Colonel  Clark,  in  order  to  appear  strong 
and  confident,  sent  the  following  letter  to  the  people 
of  Vincennes: 

"To  the  Inhabitants  of  Post  Vincennes: 

Gentlemen: — Being  now  within  two  miles  of  your  village  with 
my  army,  determined  to  take  your  fort  this  night,  and  not  being 
willing  to  surprise  you,  I  take  this  method  to  request  such  of  you  as 
are  true  citizens,  and  willing  to  enjoy  the  liberty  I  bring  you,  to 
remain  still  in  your  houses.  And  those,  if  any  there,  be,  that  are 
friends  to  the  king,  will  instantly  repair  to  the  fort  and  join  the  "Hair- 
buyer"  General,  and  fight  like  men.  And  if  any  such  as  do  not  go  to 
the  fort,  shall  be  discovered  afterwards,  they  may  depend  on  severe 
punishment.  On  the  contrary,  those  who  are  true  friends  to  liberty, 
may  depend  on  being  well  treated.  And  I  once  more  request  them 
to  keep  out  of  the  streets:  for  everyone  I  find  in  arms  on  my  arrival, 
I  shall  treat  as  an  enemy.  G.  R.  Clark." 

To  the  frightened  people  of  Vincennes,  Clark's  army 
seemed  to  have  come  up  suddenly  out  of  the  swamp,  for 
they  thought  no  human  beings  could  have  marched  through 


114  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

such  a  drowned  country.  While  the  village  assembled  in 
the  public  square  to  hear  the  letter  from  Colonel  Clark, 
his  army  could  be  seen  maneuvering  some  distance  away, 
but  it  was  not  visible  at  the  fort.  In  order  to  deceive  the 
villagers  as  to  his  numbers,  Clark  marched  his  troops 
around  a  grove  several  times  under  different  colors.  From 
the  different  colored  banners,  the  French  thought  the 
Americans  were  at  least  a  thousand  strong. 

The  Indians  wishing  to  be  on  the  victorious  side,  and 
being  unable  to  judge  who  would  win,  drew  off  and  remained 
neutral.  In  the  excitement  in  the  town,  no  one  had  enough 
presence  of  mind  to  carry  the  news  to  the  fort.  Again 
the  army  was  arranged  in  two  divisions,  one  under  Bowman 
to  attack  the  town,  and  the  other  under  Clark  to  capture 
the  fort. 

The  Fort  is  Attacked  and  Captured.  As  Bowman 
marched  into  Vincennes  at  dark,  the  people  immediately 
joined  him.  A  hundred  Indians  also  swelled  the  numbers 
as  they  passed  on  toward  the  fort.  Not  a  word  had  yet 
reached  Hamilton  and  his  garrison.  The  first  firing  he 
mistook  for  that  of  drunken  Indians.  Looking  out  into  the 
moonlight,  the  astonished  Governor  saw  his  stockade 
surrounded  by  backwoodsmen  and  a  battle  going  on. 

Having  no  cannon,  the  American  hero  relied  upon  his 
sharpshooters  who  poured  such  a  hot  fire  through  the 
port  holes  that  the  gunners  could  not  hold  their  posts. 
The  firing  continued  through  the  night.  Morning  found 
the  garrison  badly  crippled,  but  not  yet  willing  to  surrender. 

A  party  of  British  and  Indians  who  had  gone  out  some 
days  before,  now  came  noisily  into  town  with  their  scalps 
and  prisoners  for  Hamilton.  Before  they  realized  the 
changed  condition,  Clark's  men  set  upon  them  and  killed 
or  captured  the  entire  party.  Six  who  were  captured  wvre 
tomahawked  in  sight  of  the  fort  and  thrown  into  the  river. 


CLARK  CAPTURES  VINCENNES  115 

This  frightened  the  Indians  outside  the  stockade,  as  well 
as  the  garrison  within.  Hamilton  now  surrendered  his 
force  of  eighty  men,  and  Clark  ran  up  the  stars  and  stripes 
over  the  fort,  re-naming  it  Fort  Patrick  Henry.  Hamilton 
was  sent  to  Virginia  in  irons. 

Clark  held  this  country  until  the  close  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, when  England  ceded  it  to  the  United  States.  But 
for  George  Rogers  Clark's  heroic  deeds  and  the  terrible 
suffering  of  his  followers,  this  great  Northwest  would 
probably  have  remained  in  British  hands. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Give  an  account  of  the  capture  of  Vincennes. 

2.  Tell  the  story  of  Hamilton's  retaking  of  Vincennes  and  the 
incident  of  Captain  Helm. 

3.  Describe  the  hardships  endured  by  Clark  and  his  men  on 
their  march. 

4.  What  ruse  did  Clark  employ  to  conceal  the  weakness  of  his 
army? 

LESSON   HELPS 

The  Winning  of  Vincennes.  Before  the  day  was  ended,  Ham- 
ilton agreed  that  the  garrison  should  surrender  as  prisoners  of  war. 
It  was  a  great  humiliation  to  him  to  be  obliged  to  yield,  as  he  said, 
to  "A  set  of  uncivilized  Virginia  woodsmen  armed  with  rifles." 
But  what  else  could  he  do?  His  men — seventy-nine  in  all — marched 
out  and  laid  down  their  arms.  The  British  flag  was  hauled  down, 
the  American  colors  were  again  hoisted,  and  the  stockade  received 
a  new  name,  Fort  Patrick  Henry.  — JAMES  BALDWIN. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Pioneer  Life  in  Illinois.     Ferryman. 
How  Clark  Won  the  Northwest.     Thwaites. 
The  Submission  of  Fort  Vincennes.     Am.  Hist.  R.,   14,  Pages 
544-557. 

Border  Fights  and  Fighters.     Brady. 
Pioneers  of  Illinois.     Matson. 
Making  of  the  Great  West.     Drake. 


CHAPTER   IX 

A  log  cabin,  made  entirely  of  wood,  without  glass,  nails,  hinges, 
or  locks,  furnished  the  residence  of  many  a  contended  and  happy 
family.  — GOVERNOR  THOMAS  FORD. 

EARLY   DAYS   IN   ILLINOIS 

Real  Settlement  of  Illinois  Begins.  At  the  close  of 
Clark's  campaign,  many  of  his  soldiers  returned  home 
and  spread  among  their  neighbors  and  kinsmen  of  Vir- 
ginia and  Maryland  glowing  accounts  of  the  beauty  and 
fertility  of  the  Illinois  country.  They  declared  it  to  be 
a  land  of  high  promise,  and  when  the  war  was  over,  many 
of  these  soldiers  came  back  to  settle,  bringing  their  families 
with  them. 

The  Hunter-Pioneers.  But,  while  a  few  of  the  early 
American  settlers  were  from  the  eastern  states,  southern 
Illinois  was  first  occupied  mainly  by  the  hunter-pioneers 
of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  most  of  whom  had  seen  service 
in  the  Indian  wars,  and  were  accustomed  to  the  rough  life 
of  the  frontier.  The  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi  were  the 
routes  by  which  these  backwoodsmen  entered  the  state. 
They  gradually  chopped  their  way  northward  along  the 
wooded  banks  of  the  Illinois  River  and  other  streams, 
not  venturing  out  on  the  open  prairie. 

They  seized  upon  the  hardwood  forests  bordering  the 
rivers,  in  order  to  have  fuel  and  logs  with  which  to  build 
the  cabin  and  fence  the  "corn  patch."  The  timber  also 
served  as  a  wind-break  in  winter,  protecting  the  cabin 
and  the  few  domestic  animals,  and  in  summer  it  afforded 

116 


EARLY   DAYS   IN   ILLINOIS  117 

shelter  from  the  swarms  of  flies  infesting  the  prairies. 
Then,  too,  the  river  furnished  the  needed  water  supply  for 
home  use  and  for  the  stock. 

These  early  pioneers  lived  mainly  by  hunting.  They 
loved  the  simple  frontier  life,  and  when  other  settlers 
began  to  approach  their  lonely  cabins,  they  moved  farther 
into  the  wilderness.  The  crack  of  their  rifles  told  heavily 
upon  the  large  game,  such  as  the  buffalo,  elk,  and  deer, 
which  gradually  grew  scarcer,  until  by  1800,  the  shaggy 
buffalo  had  disappeared  forever  from  the  prairies  of  Illinois. 

The  Woodland-Pioneer.  Close  upon  the  heels  of  the 
hunter-pioneer,  came  the  woodland-pioneer,  who,  being 
unable  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  game  to  bring  down 
enough  for  his  needs,  was  forced  to  lay  aside  his  rifle 
and  seize  the  ax  and  the  plow,  and  to  depend  mainly  upon 
the  crops  he  raised  to  support  his  family.  He,  too,  clung 
to  the  woodlands,  preferring  to  clear  the  land  of  trees  to 
breaking  the  prairie  sod.  The  trees  upon  the  open  prairie 
were  so  scarce  and  stunted  that  these  early  settlers  con- 
cluded the  soil  was  too  poor  to  grow  them,  so  they  called 
the  treeless  prairies  the  "barrens."  They  blindly  passed 
by  some  of  the  finest  farm  lands  in  the  world,  until  every 
acre  of  the  woodland  was  taken,  even  though  some  of 
it  was  so  low  and  swampy  as  to  require  draining.  These 
marshy  lands  were  very  unhealthful,  and  the  settlers  suf- 
fered much  from  fever  and  ague.  In  places,  running  water 
was  scarce  in  summer,  and  wells  had  to  be  dug  to  water  the 
stock.  Reports  were  noised  abroad  that  the  Illinois  country 
was  full  of  dreadful  diseases,  and  this  turned  some  away. 

The  Wave  of  Immigration  Widens.  As  the  years  went 
by  the  westward  home-seekers  grew  in  numbers.  They 
toiled  through  the  mountain  passes  of  the  Alleghanies  to 
some  tributary  of  the  Ohio.  In  1810,  emigrants  from  Vir- 
ginia, Kentucky,  North  Carolina  and  Tennessee  were 


118  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

pouring  into  Illinois.  Day  after  day  the  ferries  on  the 
Ohio,  at  Shawneetown,  were  crowded  with  passing  families 
with  their  negroes,  wagons,  carts  and  carriages. 

The  National  Turnpike.  When  Ohio  was  admitted 
as  a  state,  1803,  Congress  promised  to  take  part  of  the 
money  received  from  the  sale  of  public  lands  and  with 
it  build  a  hard  wagon  road  across  the  Alleghanies.  This 
promise  was  kept,  and  by  the  time  Illinois  became  a  state, 
1818,  this  great  national  road  had  been  built  from  the 
headwaters  of  the  Potomac,  at  Cumberland,  Maryland, 
to  Wheeling  on  the  Ohio.  In  this  way  the  long  toilsome 
journey  over  the  Alleghanies  was  made  easier. 

Down  the  Ohio.  Once  the  Ohio  was  reached,  a  raft, 
a  keel  boat,  or  an  ark  was  built,  and  provisions  laid  in 
for  the  long  journey.  Pittsburg  was  the  great  supply 
city  for  rafts  and  flatboats  on  the  Ohio.  For  seven  months 
of  the  year,  the  streets  of  this  frontier  city  were  crowded 
with  emigrants  arriving  and  departing,  and  its  waterfront 
was  fringed  with  boats  of  every  description.  Boatbuilding 
was  the  chief  industry,  and,  as  none  of  these  early  boats 
ever  came  back,  the  business  never  flagged. 

The  poorer  emigrant  tied  some  logs  together  and  made 
a  raft  on  which  he  placed  his  family,  tools  and  live  stock, 
and  pushed  out  into  the  current.  Several  of  these  rafts 
were  sometimes  hitched  together.  Keel  boats  were  built 
with  a  view  of  protection  from  the  Indians,  as  well  as  for 
carrying  great  loads.  The  upper  work  was  of  wood  with 
loopholes.  They  often  carried  several  families.  Three 
hands  were  necessary  to  man  them,  one  to  pilot  and  two  to 
row.  Occasionally  there  were  side  wheels  kept  in  motion 
by  horses  walking  in  a  treadmill.  One  such  boat  carried 
eighteen  persons,  horses,  cattle,  hogs,  geese,  ducks,  and 
farming  tools,  from  wagons  to  hoes,  besides  household 
furniture,  and  a  year's  stock  of  provisions.  The  trip  to 


EARLY   DAYS   IN   ILLINOIS  119 

Shawneetown  required  three  or  four  weeks.  Similar  boats 
came  down  all  the  tributaries  of  the  Ohio,  and  drifted  slowly 
towards  the  west,  with  unbroken  forests  stretching  about 
them  in  all  directions. 

"All  day  long  flocks  of  turkeys  littered  the  trees  over- 
head, and  at  times  a  bear  or  elk  might  be  seen  swimming 
the  river.  At  night  the  woods  on  every  hand  resounded 
with  the  bark  of  wolves.  Then  it  was  that  the  lonely 
emigrants  were  tormented  with  all  manner  of  fears." 
They  dreaded  to  go  on  at  night  for  fear  of  being  wrecked 
or  stranded  on  sand  bars,  and  they  hesitated  to  tie  fast  to 
the  bank  because  of  lurking  Indians.  They  usually  spent 
the  night  moored  to  the  shore,  with  a  sentinel  standing 
ready  to  cut  the  ropes  if  an  enemy  were  sighted  while 
the  others  slept. 

Some  of  these  boats  stopped  at  Shawneetown  and 
were  sold,  while  others  floated  on  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio, 
and  from  there  were  pushed  by  long  poles  to  St.  Louis, 
where  they  were  sold  or  exchanged  for  wagons.  Over 
these  wagons,  was  spread  a  canvas,  and  tar  was  smeared 
on  the  outside  to  make  it  waterproof.  After  a  visit  to 
the  land  office,  the  emigrants  were  off  to  locate  their 
quarter  sections. 

The  woodlands  of  southern  Illinois  were  soon  taken 
up,  and  newcomers  had  the  choice  of  making  their  homes 
on  the  open  prairies  or  moving  farther  west.  The  north- 
ward advance  was  checked  by  the  Black  Hawk  war,  in 
1832.  which  drove  the  people  in  from  the  outlying  settle- 
ments to  the  more  thickly  populated  section. 

Home-Building.  The  early  pioneer,  after  choosing  a 
site  in  the  wilderness  for  his  home,  set  to  work  to  build 
a  log  cabin.  With  his  own  ax  he  cut  down  the  forest 
trees  and  built  first  the  open  camp,  the  corners  of  which 
were  notched  together.  The  roof,  of  thatch  or  bark,  was 


120  THE   STORY  OF   ILLINOIS 

supported  on  poles.  The  open  side  served  for  window, 
door  and  fireplace.  Skins  were  often  hung  up  to  keep 
out  the  storm.  In  his  boyhood  days  Abraham  Lincoln 
lived  in  such  a  cabin. 

Everybody,  whether  invited  or  not,  went  to  the  raising 
of  the  log  cabin.  The  heavy  lifting  called  for  many  hands. 
While  four  men  notched  the  logs,  the  others  ran  races, 
wrestled  and  played  leap  frog,  kicked  the  hat,  and  did 
everything  then  considered  an  amusement.  Usually  the 
cabin  was  put  up  in  a  day,  and  the  family  moved  in  that 
night,  after  having  lived  in  camp  during  the  weeks  while 
the  logs  were  being  cut  in  the  forest. 

Clapboards  were  split  out  for  roofing  and  weighted 
down  with  stones.  There  were  no  nails,  hinges,  locks, 
nor  glass  in  those  early  forest  cabins.  Doors  were  hung 
on  wooden  hinges  or  straps  of  hide,  and  the  latch  string 
was  always  out.  The  cracks  between  the  logs  were 
"chinked"  in  with  wedges  of  wood  and  clay.  Some  cabins 
even  had  no  "chinking."  In  a  certain  part  of  the  country 
a  "settler  while  sleeping,  was  scratched  on  the  head  by  the 
sharp  teeth  of  a  hungry  wolf,  which  thrust  his  nose  into  the 
space  between  the  logs  of  the  cabin." 

The  floor  was  often  the  bare  ground,  but  cabins  some- 
times had  the  luxury  of  puncheon  floors.  These  were 
made  of  the  halves  of  logs,  the  flat  sides  of  which  had 
been  hewed  smooth  with  an  adz.  One  early  settler's  wife 
pleaded  to  have  the  cabin  built  around  a  splendid  flat 
stump,  which  served  as  a  dining  table.  A  small  plat- 
form along  the  wall,  two  feet  high  and  supported  by 
posts,  formed  a  bedstead.  The  bed  consisted  of  the  boughs 
of  trees,  sometimes  of  the  skins  of  animals.  The  chimneys 
were  made  of  logs  coated  with  mud  six  inches  thick.  The 
fireplaces  were  vast  in  size,  often  so  big  that  the  fore-logs 
and  the  back-logs  for  the  fire  had  to  be  dragged  in  by  a 


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EARLY   DAYS   IN    ILLINOIS  123 

horse.  These,  except  in  the  coldest  weather,  would  burn  for 
several  days.  The  home-made  furniture  was  of  the  rudest 
pattern.  Here  and  there  were  a  few  pewter  spoons,  dishes, 
and  iron  knives  and  forks. 

How  They  Obtained  and  Prepared  Their  Food.  Their 
food  consisted  of  corn  bread,  bacon,  bear  and  deer  meat, 
and  other  wild  game  and  fowl,  as  well  as  vegetables,  which 
they  called  "roughness."  Bear  meat  was  a  delicacy  in  the 
fall.  It  is  said  to  be  as  good  as  venison.  Salted  down,  it 
became  an  important  item  of  the  winter's  supplies.  Some- 
times a  hunting  party  would  return  with  the  carcasses  of 
thirty  or  forty  of  these  beasts.  A  single  sportsman  often 
killed  as  many  as  a  half-dozen  deer  in  one  day's  hunt.  To 
approach  a  deer  on  the  prairie,  the  hunter  crawled  on  the 
ground,  holding  a  green  bush  before  him,  stopping  when 
the  animal  showed  signs  of  becoming  alarmed 

Of  corn,  they  made  many  dishes.  There  were  pone, 
hominy,  samp,  "roasting  ears,"  popcorn,  and  succotash. 
Besides,  there  ^were  pumpkin,  squash,  beans  and  dairy 
dishes.  Mills  were  so  few  and  far  apart  that  remote  set- 
tlers often  had  to  go  fifty  miles  on  horse-back,  with  a  bag 
of  corn,  a  journey  of  from  two  to  four  days.  The  building 
of  a  mill  was  hailed  with  more  satisfaction  than  that  of  a 
church.  When  the  mill  was  too  far  away,  or  could  not 
be  run  because  of  low  water,  they  pounded  the  corn  into 
coarse  meal  in  mortars.  Sometimes  the  stump  of  a  tree  was 
hollowed  out  for  this  purpose,  and  a  block  of  wood  shaped 
to  fit  in  it. 

The  bread  was,  for  a  time,  baked  on  "johnny,"  or 
journey,  boards,  which  gave  it  the  name  of  johnny-cake. 
These  boards  were  smooth,  two  feet  long  by  eight  inches  wide. 
Corn  meal  was  mixed  with  water,  the  dough  spread  out  on 
the  board  and  then  turned  up  to  the  fire.  After  one  side  was 
baked,  the  dough  was  turned  and  baked  on  the  other  side. 


124  THE  STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Clothing;  Books;  Money.  Clothing  was  made  of 
dressed  skins  of  the  deer,  wolf,  or  fox,  while  buffalo  and 
elk  skins  were  made  into  caps  and  moccasins.  There  were 
neither  books  nor  libraries,  schools  nor  churches.  Arith- 
metic was  studied  a  little  in  the  evening  by  the  light  of  a 
tallow  dip.  Sunday  was  spent  in  hunting,  fishing,  getting 
up  stock,  gathering  wild  honey  from  hollow  tree  trunks, 
breaking  young  horses,  shooting  at  marks,  and  in  foot 
racing  and  horse  racing;  but  no  labor  was  done  on  that 
day.  Peltries  and  furs  were  used  as  money.  Deer  skins 
passed  from  hand  to  hand  at  the  value  of  three  pounds 
to  the  dollar.  Raccoons  and  muskrats  were  numerous,  and 
their  skins  in  great  demand. 

Amusements.  A  favorite  form  of  merry-making  was 
the  "shucking  bee."  To  these  festivities  gathered  both 
old  and  young,  for  miles- around.  Sides  were  chosen,  and 
equal  piles  of  corn  in  the  husk  placed  before  them.  Those 
who  had  records  as  the  best  corn  huskers  were  made 
captains,  and  the  contest  was  on.  Whichever  party  first 
finished  husking  its  pile  was  the  winner.  The  lucky  finder 
of  a  red  ear  was  entitled  to  a  kiss  from  the  girls. 

After  they  had  feasted  upon  the  fat  of  the  land,  came 
the  dance.  The  only  music  was  the  violin,  and  "fiddlers" 
were  in  great  demand.  "They  often  danced  all  night 
and  went  home  with  the  girls  in  the  mofning,"  some  on 
foot,  some  on  horseback,  the  only  mode  of  conveyance. 

At  weddings,  there  was  the  run  for  the  bottle.  A  bottle 
was  filled  with  whisky  and  decorated  with  ribbons.  The 
judges  held  this  at  the  end  of  a  mile  course,  and  all  who 
had  pride  in  their  fast  horses,  entered  the  race. 

There  had  been  introduced  a  fine  blooded  horse,  noted 
as  a  racer.  Soon  there  were  many  fast  horses  in  the 
settlements.  Horse  races  became  common  Everybody 
talked  about  them  and  went  to  see  them.  At  these  races, 


EARLY   DAYS   IN   ILLINOIS  125 

business  was  transacted,  horses  swapped,  and  debts  paid. 
They  had  foot  races,  wrestling,  jumping  and  shooting 
matches  here.  Small  kegs  of  whisky  were  brought  to 
the  races  on  horseback,  a  keg  in  one  end  of  the  sack  and  a 
stone  in  the  other,  thrown  across  the  saddle.  Notwith- 
standing the  boisterous  nature  of  these  gatherings,  they 
were  a  means  of  education  to  the  people,  both  morally 
and  socially. 

The  great  drawback  to  farming  was  the  want  of  a 
market  for  the  produce.  It  was  a  long  distance  to  town, 
and  when  they  arrived  there  they  found  no  demand  for 
the  produce  they  had  brought.  To  reach  the  cities  on 
the  Atlantic  coast  by  overland  route  was  out  of  the  question. 
Some  trade  in  tobacco,  flour  and  live  stock,  sprang  up  with 
New  Orleans. 

When  these  pioneers  did  go  to  town,  which  was  seldom, 
they  would  often  see  for  the  first  time,  improved  articles 
for  the  house  or  farm.  For  these  they  exchanged  vegetables, 
grain,  or  live  stock.  A  farmer  having  seen  for  the  first  time, 
in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  a  team  of  horses  driven  abreast, 
sent  for  a  set  of  double  harness;  but  when  they  arrived 
he  found  himself  totally  unable  to  fit  them  to  the 
horses,  and  had  to  send  a  long  distance  for  a  man  who 
knew  how  to  put  the  harness,  horses  and  wagon  together 
properly. 

TOPICS   FOR  THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Compare    the    reports    brought    back    by    Clark's    returning 
soldiers  concerning  the  Illinois  Country  with  that  of  the  spies  sent 
out  by  Moses  to  investigate  the  land  of  Canaan.     (See  Numbers  XIII, 
26  to  29.) 

2.  Distinguish  between  a   "hunter-pioneer"   and  a   "woodland- 
pioneer." 

3.  By  what  natural  highways  did   the  settlers  from  the  east 
reach  the  Mississippi  valley? 


126  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

4.  It  has  been  frequently  stated  that  if  the  Mississippi  River 
had  emptied  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  say  at  Chesapeake  Bay,  the 
American    colonies    would    still    belong    to    Great    Britain.     What 
reasons  can  you  discover  for  this  belief? 

5.  Describe  the  life  of  an  average  pioneer,  tell  how  he  built  a 
home,  planted  crops,  and   fed   and   clothed   his  family  and   himself. 

LESSON   HELPS 

From  a  Pioneer's  Diary.  Thurs  (May)  30th  (1775).  We  set 
out  again  and  went  down  to  Elks  gardin  and  then  suplied  ourselves 
with  seed  corn  and  irish  tators  then  went  on  a  little  way  and  turned 
my  hors  to  drive  before  me  and  he  got  scard  and  ran  away  threw 
Down  the  Saddel  Bags  and  broke  three  of  our  powder  goards  and 
Abrams  beast  burst  open  a  walet  of  Corn  and  lost  a  good  Deal  and 
made  a  turrable  flustration  amongst  the  Reast  of  the  Horses  Drakes 
mair  run  against  a  sapling  and  noct  it  down  we  cacht  them  all  again 
and  went  on  and  lodged  at  John  Duncans. 

Sunday  23rd.  This  morning  the  people  meets  and  draws  for 
chois  of  lots  this  is  a  very  warm  day. 

Monday  24th.  We  all  viaw  our  lots  and  some  Dont  like 
them.  .... 

Wednesday  26th.  We  begin  building  a  house  and  a  plaise  of 
Defense  to  Keep  the  Indians  off  this  day  we  begin  to  live  without 
bread. 

Satterday  29th.  We  git  our  house  kivered  with  Bark  and  move 
our  things  into  it  at  Night  and  Begin  housekeeping  Eanock  Smith, 
Robert  Whitledge  and  myself.  '.  .  . 

Tuesday  2nd.  I  went  out  in  the  morning  and  killed  a  turkty 
and  come  in  and  got  some  on  for  my  breakfast  and  then  went  and 
sot  in  to  clearing  for  Corn. 

— Extract  from  the  Journal  of  William  Calk 

RECOMMENDED    READINGS 

English  Settlement  in  Illinois.     Sparks. 
Pioneer  Life  in  Illinois.     Ferryman. 
The  Settlement  of  Illinois.     Boggess. 
Illinois  in  the  18th  Century.     Mason. 
Making  of  the  Great  West.     Drake. 
Pioneers  of  Illinois.     Matson. 


CHAPTER   X 

But  bickerings  and  jealousies  had  arisen;  and  to  put  an  end  to 
the  dangers  threatened  by  these,  Virginia  voluntarily  surrendered  her 
empire.  A  nobler  peace-offering  the  world  never  saw. 

— THOMAS  E.  WATSON. 

BOUNDARIES   AND   TERRITORIAL   DAYS 

States  Give  Up  Their  Western  Claims.  By  the  treaty 
at  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  1783,  the  Mississippi  became 
the  western  boundary  of  the  United  States.  Now,  Vir- 
ginia claimed  all  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio, 
as  we  have  seen,  not  only  because  of  her  old  charter,  but 
because  she  had  sent  an  army  under  George  Rogers  Clark 
who  drove  the  British  out  of  it.  Other  colonies  also  claimed 
portions  of  the  territory  west  of  the  Alleghanies. 

But,  after  our  independence  was  won,  the  small  states 
such  as  Delaware,  Maryland  and  New  Jersey,  which  had 
no  western  claims,  refused  to  join  with  the  larger  states 
under  one  roof  and  one  flag  unless  these  larger  states 
gave  to  the  government  their  claims  of  western  territory. 
The  small  states  were  stubborn  about  this,  and  finally  the 
large  states  yielded,  with  the  understanding  that  this 
western  territory  be  divided  into  states  and  admitted 
into  the  Union  on  the  same  basis  as  the  thirteen 
original  states. 

The  Northwest  Territory  Divided  Into  States.  Thomas 
Jefferson  suggested  that  the  territory  northwest  of  the 
Ohio  might  be  divided  by  parallels  and  meridians  into  ten 
states.  James  Monroe  thought  that  ten  would  be  too 
many.  He  had  made  a  short  trip  to  the  West  and  talked 

127 


.  .  _ 

C-~-^?%c  -O  1 

>-^h>  /ASS-  «rM^«°n  A- 

cf^V^JV^to^n.      />        /V-PP"-"3^         ^ 
^--^— -^VS? ^fonj   fcoU^^L   ntuoh.t 


LAND  CLAIMS  OF  THE  THIRTEEN  ORIGINAL  STATES 


BOUNDARIES  AND   TERRITORIAL   DAYS  129 


with  many  people  on  the  journey.  Monroe  came  to 
believe,  from  what  he  had  heard,  that  much  of  the  western 
land  was  miserably  poor,  and  that  the  prairies  of  what  is 


ASSENISIPIA          METROPOTAMIA 


JEFFERSON'S  PLAN   1784 


STATES  PROPOSED  BY  JEFFERSON 

now  Illinois  were  a  desert.  "Not  so  much  as  a  bush  would 
grow  on  it,"  he  said,  "and  to  cut  such  a  region  into  ten 
states  by  straight  lines  would  be  unwise."  Some  states 
would,  he  argued,  be  all  poor  land,  some  all  rich  land. 


130 


THE  STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 


Some  would  have  no  frontage  on  the  lakes,  while  others 
would  not  touch  the  Ohio.  Monroe  and  Washington, 
therefore,  advised  Congress  to  so  divide  the  territory  that 


ORDINANCE  OF  1787 


THE  NORTHWEST  TERRITORY  AS  DIVIDED  BY  THE 
ORDINANCD  OF  1787 

each  state  might  have  as  much  water  boundary  as  possi- 
ble. This  was  the  wiser  plan,  and  Congress  followed  it. 
As  for  names,  Congress  concluded  to  let  the  sections  choose 
their  own,  when  they  came  into  the  Union. 


BOUNDARIES   AND   TERRITORIAL   DAYS  131 

So,  when  the  Ordinance  of  1787  was  adopted,  it  declared 
that  there  should  be  not  fewer  than  three,  nor  more  than 
five  states  in  this  territory,  and  that  their  boundaries  should 
be  as  shown  on  the  map.  The  Ordinance  stated  that 
this  solemn  agreement  among  all  the  thirteen  states  should 
"forever  remain  unalterable,  unless  by  common  consent." 
In  spite  of  this,  not  one  of  the  five  states  came  into  the 
Union  with  the  exact  boundaries  fixed  by  the  Ordinance. 
Congress  changed  the  boundaries  at  pleasure,  without 
asking  the  consent  of  a  single  state.  The  whole  Northwest 
territory,  save  Ohio,  was  governed  as  a  unit  until  1809, 
when  Indiana  was  set  apart,  leaving  Illinois  and  Wisconsin 
together  under  the  name  of  Illinois  Territory. 

Illinois  Admitted  as  a  State;  Boundaries.  When 
Illinois  became  a  state  in  1818,  the  northern  boundary  was 
fixed,  not  by  a  line  running  west  from  the  extreme  south- 
ern end  of  Lake  Michigan,  as  prescribed  in  the  Ordinance, 
but  by  a  parallel  sixty-one  miles  farther  north.  Nor  did 
Congress  even  ask  the  people  of  Wisconsin  to  consent  to 
this  encroachment  on  her  soil.  Nathaniel  Pope  was,  at 
that  time,  the  delegate  in  Congress  for  Illinois  Territory. 
He  laid  before  that  body  these  reasons  for  placing  the 
Illinois  boundary  sixty-one  miles  on  Wisconsin  soil.  He 
said  that  Illinois  would  not  have  any  lake  frontage,  if  the 
Ordinance  were  followed,  and,  if  she  were  not  given  a 
lake  port,  she  would  face  southward,  and  her  commerce 
and  interests  would  be  with  the  slave  states  rather  than 
with  the  free.  "Then,"  he  said,  "if  the  Union  is  ever 
broken  up,  Illinois  will  go  with  the  South."  The  only  way 
to  prevent  such  a  catastrophe,"  he  declared,  "was  to  give 
Illinois  an  outlet  on  Lake  Michigan,  and  thereby  connect 
her  with  the  commerce  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  East. 
Pope  convinced  Congress  of  the  wisdom  of  his  position, 
and  so  won  for  the  Prairie  State  a  wide  strip  of  country 


132 


THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 


embracing  fourteen  counties,  and  eight  thousand  five 
hundred  square  miles  of  rich  agricultural  lands,  which 
includes  the  fine  lake  harbors  of  Chicago  and  Waukegan, 


APRIL  18,  1818 


MAP  OF  THE  DISPUTED  TERRITORY 

as  well  as  the  sites  of  such  prosperous  inland  cities  as 
Rockford,  Freeport,  Galena,  Oregon  and  Elgin. 

Northern  Illinois  Claimed  by  Wisconsin.     Wisconsin 
was  organized  as  a  territory  in  1836,  and  the  northern 


BOUNDARIES  AND   TERRITORIAL   DAYS  133 

boundary  of  Illinois  was  left  where  it  had  been  placed  in 
1818.  Two  years  later,  however,  the  Wisconsin  Legisla- 
ture sent  a  message  to  Congress  protesting  against  the 
injustice  of  giving  to  Illinois  a  vast  section  which,  according 
to  the  Ordinance,  rightly  belonged  to  Wisconsin.  She 
claimed  the  entire  tract  as  far  south  as  the  southern  end  of 
Lake  Michigan.  Congress,  influenced  by  the  able  repre- 
sentatives from  Illinois,  gave  no  heed  to  this  commu- 
nication. The  next  year  the  Wisconsin  Legislature  re- 
turned to  the  attack.  It  declared  that  "a  large  and  valuable 
tract  of  country  is  now  held  by  the  state  of  Illinois,  con- 
trary to  the  manifest  right  and  consent  of  the  (Wisconsin) 
Territory." 

Nine  Illinois  Counties  Dissatisfied.  The  people  in  the 
disputed  district  expressed  their  views  at  the  ballot-box, 
and  at  public  gatherings.  A  convention  representing 
nine  counties  met  at  Rockford  and  declared  that  the  four- 
teen northern  counties  of  Illinois  belonged  by  right  to 
Wisconsin.  An  election  was  held  in  Stephenson  County 
in  1842,  and  out  of  five  hundred  seventy  votes,  all  but  one 
were  in  favor  of  uniting  with  Wisconsin.  The  Boone 
County  election  was  likewise  almost  unanimous.  Other 
counties  also  leaned  toward  our  northern  sister.  Although 
Chicago  was  promised  both  senatorships  by  Wisconsin, 
she  realized  that  her  best  interests  were  served  by  being 
in  Illinois,  and  voted  accordingly.  The  people  of  Wisconsin, 
outside  of  the  Legislature,  took  little  interest  in  the  dispute. 
Their  law  makers,  nevertheless,  continued  to  hurl  defiant 
messages  at  the  deaf  ears  of  Congress.  They  threatened  to 
secede  from  the  Union;  they  boasted  that  "The  moral  and 
physical  force  of  Illinois,  of  the  whole  Union,  cannot  make 
us  retrace  our  steps." 

Old-Fashioned  Laws.  When  Congress  appointed  Arthur 
St.  Clair,  to  be  the  first  Governor  of  the  Northwest  Terri- 


134  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

tory,  he  met  the  judges,  who  were  also  chosen  by  Congress, 
at  Marietta,  Ohio,  1788,  and  they  wrote  out  a  code  of  laws 
for  the  Territory.  As  there  was  no  printing  press  nearer 
than  Pittsburg,  the  laws  were  written  and  posted  upon 
trees  at  the  mouths  of  creeks  and  rivers,  or  wherever 
it  seemed  likely  they  might  be  seen  by  passersby.  The 
man  who  pulled  down  such  a  copy  was  to  be  put  in  the 
stocks  for  three  hours,  fined  the  cost  of  re-writing  and 
posting  it,  and  shut  up  in  jail  until  the  fine  was  paid. 
A  drunkard  was  fined  "five  dimes"  for  the  first  offense, 
a  dollar  for  the  second,  and,  if  he  could  not  pay,  was  put 
in  the  stocks  one  hour.  Thirty-nine  stripes  were  given 
those  who  robbed  a  house,  or  broke  into  a  shop,  or  made  a 
false  oath.  If  the  burglar  were  armed  he  was  deprived 
of  all  his  property  and  put  in  jail  for  forty  years.  A  man 
might  be  imprisoned  for  debt,  a  bachelor  under  forty  for 
seven  years;  a  married  man  under  thirty-six,  for  five  years. 
If  the  sheriff  allowed  a  prisoner  to  escape,  he  must  take 
the  offender's  place,  assume  all  his  debts  and  pay  the  fine  for 
which  he  had  been  imprisoned. 

Squatters  Buy  Their  Land.  Shadrick  Bond  was  the 
first  delegate  to  Congress  from  the  Territory.  It  took 
him  over  a  month  to  make  the  trip  on  horseback,  and  by 
stage,  from  Kaskaskia  to  Washington.  Prior  to  1813  the 
settlers  had  not  been  able  to  secure  a  good  title  to  the 
land  on  which  they  squatted.  Nine-tenths  of  the  people 
of  Illinois  had  settled  on  land  which  they  had  no  right 
whatever  to  pre-empt.  Very  few  improvements  were 
made,  because  no  one  was  sure  to  receive  the  land  or  the 
pay  for  improvements  made.  For  years  the  people  had 
begged  Congress  in  vain  to  give  them  the  right  to  buy  at 
a  fixed  price  the  land  on  which  they  had  squatted  and  built 
their  cabins.  Such  conditions  discouraged  new  settlers 
and  retarded  the  growth  of  the  Territory. 


BOUNDARIES   AND   TERRITORIAL   DAYS  135 

Bond  induced  Congress  to  pass  a  law  granting  squatter ; 
the  preference  over  all  others  when  their  land  was  sold  by 
the  government.  They  could  now  hope  for  a  home  in  their 
old  age,  and  they  became  enthusiastic  over  the  future  of 
their  prairie  settlements.  This  act  entitles  Shadrick  Bond 
to  the  gratitude  of  his  state,  as  it  not  only  secured  justice 
to  the  old  settlers  but  brought  in  a  flood  of  newcomers. 

Counting  Forty  Thousand  People.  After  a  few  years 
the  people  of  the  territory  became  anxious  to  make  it  a 
state,  so  they  might  have  a  hand  in  directing  the  affairs 
of  the  nation  in  Congress.  That  body  decided  that  Illinois 
Territory  might  become  a  state,  provided  it  had  a  popula- 
tion of  40,000.  So  the  people  set  out  to  count  that  many 
heads.  It  soon  became  evident  that  the  census  would  fall 
short  of  this  number.  So  the  Marshal  stationed  his  deputies 
along  the  roads,  and  instructed  them  to  count  everybody 
that  passed,  no  matter  who  they  were  nor  where  they  were 
going.  Immigrants  and  movers  were  thus  counted  several 
times  after  they  entered  the  state.  The  returns  footed 
up  40,000,  and  Illinois  was  admitted  as  a  state,  1818,  but 
it  was  afterward  ascertained  that  her  population  was  really 
only  34,620.  No  other  state  has  been  admitted  with  so 
small  a  population. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Which  states  claimed  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio?     How 
were  these  conflicting  claims  settled? 

2.  What   plan   did   Jefferson   propose   for   the   division   of  this 
territory? 

3.  How  many  and   what  states  were  created  from  this  terri- 
tory by  the  Ordinance  of  1787? 

4.  What  provisions  did  the  Ordinance  of  1787  contain  relative 
to  establishing  and  maintaining  free  schools?     (See  Appendix.) 

5.  Give  the  history  of  the  separation  from  Wisconsin  of  the 
fourteen  northern  counties  of  Illinois. 


136  THE   STORY  OF   ILLINOIS 

6.  What  were  the  circumstances  under  which  Illinois  was 
admitted  to  the  Union? 

LESSON   HELPS 

From  Cabin  to  Community.  The  cabin  was  made  of  logs, 
notched  at  the  ends  so  as  to  fit  at  the  corners,  and  laid  one  above 
another  until  the  house  was  ten  feet  high.  There  was  but  one 
room,  one  door,  and  one  window.  The  door  was  made  of  rough 
boards  swung  on  leather  hinges,  and  opposite  the  door  was  left 
an  open  space  on  the  ground  for  the  fireplace,  the  chimney  being 
built  outside  of  flat  sticks  like  laths,  and  plastered  with  mortar. 
The  floor  was  made  of  planks  hewn  out  with  the  ax,  and  the  roof 
of  lighter  planks  resting  on  rafters  made  of  saplings.  In  such  a 
home  many  a  good  family  lived  for  ten  or  twenty  years,  the  ances- 
tors of  many  of  the  leading  men  of  today.  The  cabin  built,  the  pio- 
neer would  begin  battling  with  the  forest,  clearing  a  few  acres  each 
year,  carrying  his  grain  perhaps  twenty  miles  on  horseback  to  the 
nearest  mill.  Soon  his  land  would  become  more  productive;  and 
at  length,  if  thrifty  and  industrious,  he  would  make  a  good  house 
and  abandon  the  cabin.  Other  movers  would  settle  near,  then  a 
town  would  be  founded,  and  another,  and  another,  and  eventually 
a  railroad  would  be  built  through  the  new  settlement.  The  com- 
murlity  is  transformed  in  twenty-five  years;  the  markets  are  near, 
the  comforts  of  life  have  multiplied,  the  farm  of  the  first  settler  is 
now  worth  thousands  of  dollars,  and  he  has  added  other  hundreds 
of  acres  to  it.  His  children  settle  on  the  farm  or  enter  the  business 
of  the  professional  world,  and  the  old  settler  spends  his  declining 
yaars  amid  peace  and  plenty;  and  he  gathers  his  grandchildren  about 
him  and  tells  them  of  the  days  of  long  ago,  of  the  long  journeys  in 
the  moving  wagon,  and  of  the  time  when  the  forests  frowned  on 
every  side,  and  the  wolves  howled  about  his  lonely  cabin  in  the 
wilderness.  — HENRY  WILLIAM  ELSON. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Illinois  in  the  18th  Century.     Mason. 
English  Settlement  in  Illinois.     Sparks. 
Making  of  the  Great  West.     Drake. 
The  Settlement  of  Illinois.     Boggess. 
The  Settlement  of  Illinois.     Pooley. 
History  of  Illinois.     Carpenter. 


CHAPTER  XI 

I  saw  a  dot  upon  the  map, 

And  a  housefly's  filmy  wing — 
They  said  'twas  Dearborn's  picket-flag, 

When  Wilderness  was  King. 

— BENJAMIN  F.  TAYLOR, 


FORT   DEARBORN  AND   EARLY   CHICAGO 

Why  a  Fort  Was  Built  on  the  Chicago   River.     The 

Louisiana  Purchase  added  a  vast  tract  to  the  United 
States,  and  more  forts  were  needed  to  protect  our  western 
territory.  The  British  upon  the  upper  lakes  were  court- 
ing the  favor  of  the  countless  Indian  tribes  in  that  region, 
and  had  been  gaining  in  influence  with  them  since  the 
Revolution.  To  offset  this  British  influence  and  impress 
the  Indians  with  the  power  of  the  United  States,  Congress 
decided  to  build  a  fort  at  the  southern  end  of  Lake  Michi- 
gan. Commissioners  came  from  Washington  to  select  a 
place  for  it.  The  mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph  river  afforded 
by  far  the  best  harbor  on  the  southern  border  of  the  lake, 
and,  by  this  river  and  by  portage,  there  was  a  good  passage 
to  the  Illinois  and  the  Mississippi.  This  was,  therefore, 
chosen  as  the  site  for  the  fort  and  future  city.  The  Indians, 
who  still  retained  all  this  land,  however,  refused  to  give  it 
up,  so  the  commissioners  were  forced  to  look  elsewhere. 
A  site  was  finally  chosen  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  river, 
where  there  was  a  harbor  and  a  portage  to  the  Illinois, 
and  where  the  government  had  already  obtained  some  land 
from  the  Indians. 

137 


138  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

Fort  Dearborn  Built.  Hither  came  the  American  sol- 
diers, marching  through  the  unbroken  wilderness  from 
Detroit.  Arriving  at  the  Chicago  river,  they  harnessed 
themselves  up  with  ropes,  for  there  were  neither  horses 
nor  oxen  to  be  had,  and  dragged  together  logs  for  the 
blockhouse  and  palisade.  During  the  summer  and  fall 
they  completed  the  soldiers'  quarters  and  the  blockhouse, 
which  .they  called  Fort  Dearborn. 

John  Kinzie — Fur  Trader.  John  Kinzie  soon  settled 
here  and  began  to  develop  an  extensive  fur  trade.  He 
became  known  as  the  "Indian's  Friend,"  and  throughout 
the  stormy  years  that  followed,  his  family  moved  about, 
not  only  unharmed  by  the  Indians,  but  protected  by  them. 
Kinzie  traveled  far  and  wide,  visiting  different  Indian  tribes 
and  establishing  profitable  trade  with  them.  Fort  Dearborn 
became  a  fur  trading  post,  the  peltries  being  brought  in  on 
horseback.  The  vessel  which  came  in  the  fall  and  spring 
with  supplies  for  the  fort  and  goods  for  the  trade,  carried 
the  furs  to  Mackinac.  Kinzie,  in  addition  to  his  fur  trade, 
manufactured  ornaments  and  trinkets  in  which  the 
Indians  delighted. 

Fort  Dearborn  Too  Far  From  Supplies  in  War.  When 
the  war  of  1812  broke  out  with  England,  the  Indians, 
led  by  the  famous  chief,  Tecumseh,  joined  forces  with  the 
king  against  the  Americans.  Fort  Dearborn  was  far  away 
from  other  frontier  forts  and  settlements,  and  surrounded 
by  treacherous  savages,  so  it  would  have  been  difficult  to 
get  supplies  in  case  the  British  took  Detroit.  Therefore, 
it  was  thought  best  to  evacuate  the  post  and  march  the 
garrison  and  the  few  families  sheltered  there  to  Fort  Wayne. 

Captain  Heald,  who  commanded  at  Fort  Dearborn, 
received  the  exciting  news  from  General  Hull,  at  Detroit, 
that  war  had  .been  declared  against  England.  Along 
with  this  news,  came  the  order  to  distribute  all  goods 


FORT   DEARBORN   AND  EARLY  CHICAGO  139 

and  supplies  in  his  warehouse  to  the  Indians,  and  to  repair 
to  Fort  Wayne.  This  could  have  been  done  quickly  and 
safely  before  the  Indians  knew  of  the  approaching  war, 
and  this  was  what  other  officers  and  Kinzie  advised,  but 
Captain  Heald  insisted  on  waiting  till  he  could  assemble 
all  the  tribes,  so  that  he  might  distribute  the  goods  equally. 
Meantime  the  Indians  grew  insolent  and  warlike.  Kinzie 
was  the  only  white  man  for  whom  they  had  any  regard. 
They  had  been  promised  a  share  in  the  supplies  but  they 
thirsted  for  blood. 

Distributing  Supplies  to  the  Indians.  The  two  things 
the  Indians  most  wanted  were  whisky  and  muskets,  and 
there  was  abundance  of  both  in  the  fort,  as  they  well  knew. 
Captain  Heald  thought  that  these  were  just  the  articles 
that  the  Indians  ought  not  to  have.  He  distributed  broad- 
cloth, calico,  ribbons  and  paints,  but  he  said,  "The  surplus 
arms  and  ammunition  I  thought  proper  to  destroy,  fearing 
that  they  would  make  bad  use  of  them.  I  also  destroyed 
all  liquor  on  hand,  soon  after  they  began  to  collect." 

The  Indians,  prowling  around  the  fort,  found  the  guns 
broken  and  the  casks  of  liquor  with  heads  knocked  out 
and  contents  emptied  into  the  river.  This  made  them 
angry,  because  they  had  been  promised  everything  in  the 
fort.  The  old  chiefs  now  said  that  they  could  no  longer 
control  the  young  braves  who  were  bent  on  war. 

A  Noble  Indian  Chief.  Black  Partridge,  a  chief,  who 
had  some  years  before  been  given  a  badge  as  an  emblem 
of  friendship,  now  came  to  Captain  Heald  and  gave  it  back, 
saying,  "Father,  I  come  to  deliver  up  to  you  the  medal 
I  wear.  It  was  given  to  me  by  the  Americans,  and  I  have 
long  worn  it  in  token  of  our  mutual  friendship.  But  our 
young  men  are  resolved  to  imbrue  their  hands  in  the  blood 
of  the  whites.  I  cannot  restrain  them,  and  I  will  not  wear 
a  token  of  peace  while  I  am  compelled  to  act  as  an  enemy." 


140  THE  STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  Indians  Plan  to  Destroy  the  Whites.  Unknown  to 
the  Americans,  the  Indians  had  held  a  council  of  war 
and  resolved  to  destroy  the  garrison.  At  nine  o'clock  on 
the  fifteenth  of  August,  1812,  the  gates  of  the  fort  were 
thrown  open  and  the  troops  began  their  march  toward 
Fort  Wayne.  Brave  John  Kinzie  left  his  family  with  some 
friendly  Indians  and  set  out  with  the  soldiers,  hoping  to 
save  them  if  possible.  The  Indians  told  him  not  to  go,  but 
he  disregarded  their  advice. 

The  Fort  Dearborn  Massacre.  Four  or  five  hundred 
Indians  followed  the  small  company  of  Americans  south 
along  the  trail  by  the  lake.  Soon  they  attacked  and 
killed  all  but  twenty-five  soldiers  and  eleven  women  and 
children.  Mrs.  Helm,  the  daughter  of  Mrs.  Kinzie,  had 
a  narrow  escape.  She  was  attacked  by  a  young  Indian, 
but  warding  off  the.  blow  of  his  tomahawk,  she  threw  her 
arms  around  his  neck,  trying  to  get  hold  of  his  scalping- 
knife.  Just  then  an  old  Indian  seized  her  and  dragged 
her  to  the  lake  and  plunged  her  into  the  water,  allowing 
her  head  only  to  remain  above  the  waves.  She  saw  he 
was  not  trying  to  drown  her,  and,  upon  looking  at  him 
closely,  she  discovered  him  to  be  Black  Partridge.  After 
the  battle  she  was  taken  to  a  place  of  safety.  The  next 
day  the  fort  and  agency  building  were  burned,  and  the 
captives  distributed  among  the  various  tribes.  The  sav- 
ages decked  themselves  in  the  ribbons  and  finery  and  held 
a  war  dance. 

Sometime  later,  Black  Partridge  heard  that  Captain 
Helm  was  held  a  prisoner  by  the  Indians  on  the  Kan- 
kakee.  He  reported  this  to  Kinzie's  brother,  and  they 
sent  the  faithful  chief  to  ransom  the  prisoner.  He  found 
the  Indians  would  not  accept  the  ransom  he  had  brought, 
so  he  gave  them  his  pony,  his  rifle  and  a  large  gold  ring 
which  he  wore  in  his  nose.  This  was  accepted,  and  he 


FORT  DEARBORN  AND  EARLY  CHICAGO  141 

brought   Captain  Helm  back,  and   restored    him    to  his 
wife. 

More  Indian  Fighting.  During  the  war  of  1812,  the 
Indians  carried  on  cowardly  and  merciless  raids  on  the 
unprotected  settlers  of  Illinois,  murdering  and  plunder- 
ing, and  then  disappearing  before  armed  forces  could  reach 
them.  They  would  not  fight,  even  with  smaller  bands  of 
settlers.  A  year  after  the  war  closed,  all  the  tribes  of  the 
Northwest  made  a  treaty  with  the  United  States,  near  what 
is  now  Alton,  Illinois,  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi. 
They  remained  quiet  until  the  Black  Hawk  war  of  1832. 

Fort  Dearborn  Rebuilt.  President  Madison,  in  his 
message  to  Congress  in  1814,  called  the  attention  of  that 
body  to  the  importance  of  a  ship  canal  to  connect  the 
waters  of  Lake  Michigan,  at  Chicago,  with  the  Illinois 
and  Mississippi  rivers.  This  idea  had  been  first  suggested 
by  Louis  Joliet  in  1673.  With  this  canal  in  view,  the 
War  Department  ordered  Fort  Dearborn  to  be  rebuilt. 
On  July  4,  1816,  while  the  bones  of  the  victims  of  1812  still 
lay  scattered  over  the  sand  drifts,  the  American  soldiers 
arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  river,  and  began  the 
new  fort  on  the  same  spot  where  the  first  had  stood.  Sur- 
veyors also  came  to  examine  the  divide  and  report  on  the 
cost  and  difficulty  of  the  canal  project.  During  that  sum- 
mer John  Kinzie  returned  with  his  family,  to  find  that  the 
Indians  had  spared  his  house  from  the  flames. 

Fort  Dearborn  Gets  Supplies  from  Kaskaskia.  The 
northern  half  of  the  state  was  still  unsettled,  except  in 
a  few  places,  though  southern  Illinois  had  advanced  so 
far  that  it  was  about  to  ask  to  be  admitted  into  the  Union 
as  a  state.  Communications  were  soon  opened  with 
Kaskaskia  by  the  way  of  the  Chicago,  Des  Plaines,  and 
Illinois  Rivers.  Along  this  route  by  rowboats  and  portage, 
supplies  of  flour,  meat  and  other  necessities  were  brought 


142 


from  southern  Illinois  to  Fort  Dearborn.  Fur  trade 
again  became  the  leading  industry  of  the  settlement. 

Glimpses  of  the  Pioneer  City.  In  1818,  there  were  but 
two  log  huts  outside  of  the  enclosure  of  the  garrison. 
The  nearest  postoffice  was  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana,  from  which 
place  mail  was  brought  once  a  month. 

In  1820,  Schoolcraft,  who  was  on  a  visit  to  Chicago, 
found  it  "a  small  village  of  ten  or  twelve  houses,  accom- 
modating sixty  people — half-breeds,  Canadian-French,  fur 
traders  and  Virginians." 

Major  Long  gives  the  following  description  of  Chicago 
in  1823:  "The  village  presents  no  cheering  prospects 
as  ...  it  consists  of  but  a  few  huts  inhabited  by 
a  miserable  race  of  men  scarcely  equal  to  the  Indians, 
from  whom  they  are  descended.  Their  houses  are  low, 
filthy  and  disgusting,  displaying  not  the  least  trace  of 
comfort."  Mr.  Long  thought  that  Chicago  would  never 
become  a  great  commercial  city,  because  of  the  dangers 
of  lake  navigation  and  the  scarcity  of  harbors. 

The  Illinois-Michigan  Canal.  The  state  of  Illinois, 
having  been  given  by  Congress  a  wide  strip  of  land  along  the 
proposed  canal  route,  began  in  earnest  to  plan  the  Illinois- 
Michigan  canal.  Commissioners  arrived  in  Chicago  in 
1829,  platted  the  city  on  land  donated  to  the  state  by 
Congress,  and  began  to  sell  lots.  The  canal  project 
attracted  many  people  here,  and  the  population  began  to 
grow,  and  real  estate  to  rise  in  value.  In  a  year  the  pop- 
ulation had  increased  to  about  one  hundred,  but  still  Chi- 
cago had  no  postoffice.  The  mail  carrier  now  came  once  a 
week  instead  of  once  a  month.  There  grew  up  a  brisk  trade 
with  the  Indians  of  this  region,  but  their  presence  was  a 
hindrance  to  the  growth  of  the  city. 

Cook  County  Organized.  In  1831,  Cook  County, 
named  for  Daniel  P.  Cook,  was  organized,  and  thereafter 


FORT  DEARBORN  AND  EARLY  CHICAGO  143 

had  its  own  tax  collector.  Prior  to  that  the  collector 
was  forced  to  make  a  long  trip  of  one  hundred  miles  or 
more  on  horseback  to  Chicago,  for  a  few  dollars  in  taxes, 
which  would  not  pay  the  expenses  of  his  trip. 

Chicago  as  Seen  in  1832.  The  people  of  Chicago  in  that 
early  day  are  described  as  follows:  "Next  in  rank  to  the 
officers  and  commissioners,  may  be  noticed  certain  shop- 
keepers and  merchants  resident  here.  .  .  .  Add  to  this 
a  doctor  or  two,  two  or  three  lawyers,  a  land-agent  and  five 
or  six  hotel  keepers.  These  people  inhabited  some  fifty  clap- 
board houses.  Land  speculators  as  numerous  as  the  sand : 
you  will  find  horse-dealers  and  horse-stealers — rogues  of 
every  description,  black,  white,  brown,  red — half-breeds, 
quarter-breeds,  and  men  of  no  breed  at  all ;  dealers  in  pigs, 
and  poultry,  and  potatoes  .  .  .  sharpers  of  every  degree, 
peddlers,  grog  sellers;  Indian  agents  and  Indian  traders  of 
every  description,  and  contractors  to  supply  the  Pottawa- 
tomies  with  food.  The  little  village  was  in  an  uproar  from 
morning  to  night,  and  from  night  to  morning,  for,  during  the 
hours  of  darkness,  when  the  housed  portion  of  the  population 
of  Chicago  strove  to  obtain  repose  in  the  crowded  plank 
edifices  of  the  village,  the  Indians  howled,  wept,  sang,  yelled 
and  whooped  in  their  various  encampments.  With  all  this, 
the  whites  to  me  seemed  to  be  more  pagan  than  the  red  men." 

The  City  Grows  and  Real  Estate  Rises.  In  1833  Chicago 
began  a  wonderful  growth.  The  village  was  organized,  and 
by  the  end  of  the  year  there  were  one  hundred  sixty  houses. 
In  the  same  year,  four  steamers  arrived,  and  lake  com- 
merce began.  The  harbor  was  poor,  vessels  being  compelled 
to  anchor  outside  and  push  their  live  stock  overboard  to 
wade  ashore.  But  Congress  made  appropriations  to 
improve  it.  The  first  newspaper,  the  "Chicago  Weekly 
Democrat,"  was  established,  though  it  frequently  sus- 
pended publication  for  lack  of  paper.  Land  agents  were 


ILLINOIS 

in  1837         stGeMT' 


MAP  OF  PROPOSED  IMPROVEMENTS,  1837 


FORT  DEARBORN  AND  EARLY  CHICAGO  145 

good  advertisers.  Soon  hosts  of  immigrants  began  to  come, 
and  property  along  the  canal  rose  amazingly. 

One  transaction  may  be  noted,  by  the  way  of  illustra- 
tion. Early  in  the  spring  of  1835,  a  Mr.  Hubbard  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land  east  of  the  river,  paying  for  it  $5,000. 
A  few  months  after  his  purchase  he  had  occasion  to  go 
east,  and  upon  visiting  New  York,  much  to  his  surprise, 
he  found  quite  a  speculation  in  Chicago  property  raging 
there.  Grasping  the  opportunity  for  a  good  bargain,  he 
hired  an  engraver,  had  a  plat  of  his  eighty  acres  prepared, 
and  sold  half  of  his  land  for  $80,000.  Upon  returning  to 
Chicago  and  spreading  the  news,  city  property  went  up 
enormously  in  value.  "Each  man  who  owned  a  garden 
patch  stood  on  his  head,  imagined  himself  a  millionaire, 
put  up  the  corner  lots  to  fabulous  prices,  and,  what  is 
strange  to  say,  never  could  ask  enough."  The  price  of 
lots  rose  from  a  hundred,  to  a  thousand  times  what  they 
had  been.  Speculation  ran  wild,  until  the  panic  of 
1837  came. 

So  rapidly  did  the  newcomers  swarm  into  the  town, 
that  the  taverns  could  not  begin  to  hold  the  crowd;  men, 
women,  and  children  thronged  the  wharves  and  streets. 
Store-houses  were  thrown  open  for  their  shelter,  and 
when  this  device  could  no  longer  supply  the  demand  for 
lodging  places,  tents  were  set  up  in  the  streets.  Lumber 
could  not  be  brought  fast  enough  to  supply  the  demands. 
Lake  Street  was  not  properly  graded  and  drained,  and 
stagnant  water  stood  there,  breeding  fevers.  Many  new- 
comers, hesitating  to  risk  their  health  in  Chicago,  went 
into  the  interior  of  the  state. 

Dirt  Begins  to  Move  for  the  Canal.  In  the  winter  of 
1835,  and  1836,  the  Legislature  finally  passed  the  act 
authorizing  the  canal,  and  there  was  great  rejoicing  in 
Chicago.  A  mass  meeting  was  held  at  which  it  was  voted 


146  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

to  fire  twelve  guns  in  honor  of  each  man  who  voted  for 
the  measure,  and  to  request  the  Chicago  newspapers  to 
print  their  names  in  large  capitals,  while  the  names  of 
those  who  voted  against  it  were  to  be  printed  in  small 
italics.  On  July  4,  1836,  it  is  said  that  every  man,  woman 
and  child  in  Chicago,  whose  health  would  permit,  went 
to  Canalport  to  celebrate  the  removal  of  the  first  shovelful 
of  dirt. 

Chicago's  Trade  Grows.  The  actual  digging  of  the 
canal  was  the  signal  for  still  larger  flocks  of  settlers,  many 
of  whom  made  Chicago  their  home,  while  hundreds  pushed 
on  to  the  prairie  farms.  They  laid  in  supplies  at  Chicago 
for  their  new  homes  on  the  distant  plains,  and  this  trade 
made  the  merchants  wealthy.  From  a  hundred  miles  and 
more  away,  the  farmers  came  to  Chicago  to  market  their 
produce  and  ouy  merchandise.  All  this  hastened  the  growth 
of  the  town,  so  that  in  1837  Chicago  was  made  a  city. 
There  were  at  that  time  five  hundred  buildings,  inhabited 
by  four  thousand  people. 

Hard  Times.  Then  came  the  panic,  which  gave  the 
young  city  a  terrible  blow.  Immigrants  ceased  to  come. 
Everybody  was  anxious  to  sell  his  property,  but  could 
scarcely  give  it  away.  Some,  who  later  became  wealthy 
men,  owed  it  to  the  fact  that  they  could  not  sell  their 
property  at  any  price  during  these  dark  days.  Commerce 
was  dead.  For  two  years  gloom  and  hard  times  prevailed. 

Lake  Commerce.  Chicago  now  began  to  be  a  shipping 
point.  In  1838,  seventy  bushels  of  wheat  were  exported 
from  her  harbor,  the  next  year  nearly  four  thousand. 
By  1845,  nearly  a  million  bushels  were  carted  in  by  farmers 
for  export.  They  found  Chicago  a  good  market  for  their 
hogs  and  cattle,  and  they  came  great  distances  to  sell  the 
products  of  their  rich  farms.  Commerce  on  the  Great 
Lakes  made  rapid  strides. 


FORT  DEARBORN  AND  EARLY  CHICAGO  147 

No  Paved  Streets.  North  of  the  Chicago  River  lay 
the  residence  section,  connected  by  bridge  and  ferries 
with  the  business  district  to  the  south.  Sidewalks  were 
built  and  trees  planted.  This  helped  to  make  life  here 
more  pleasant,  though  the  streets  were  not  yet  paved. 
Prairie  grass  still  grew  in  them.  In  rainy  seasons  they 
became  almost  impassable.  In  order  to  attend  social 
events,  it  was  often  necessary  for  the  men  to  wear  high 
boots,  and  for  ladies,  sometimes,  to  go  on  drays,  because 
carriages  were  yet  scarce  in  this  pioneer  city. 

The  First  Water  Works.  In  1839,  was  built  the  first 
water  works.  A  reservoir  and  pumping  station  were  con- 
structed on  the  shore  of  the  lake.  The  water  was  dis- 
tributed through  a  pipe-line  made  of  logs  with  a  six  inch 
bore.  Where  this  line  did  not  reach,  water  was  carried 
in  carts. 

The  First  Coal  in  Chicago.  The  first  shipment  of  coal 
to  Chicago  came  in  1841,  in  the  schooner,  "General  Har- 
rison." It  consisted  of  eighty  tons  of  soft  coal  from  Cleve- 
land. It  took  the  dealer  nearly  two  years  to  dispose  of 
it.  Wood  was  the  only  fuel  then  used  in'  Chicago,  and 
might  be  had  for  $2.50  per  cord.  Coal  could  not  be 
burned  until  grates,  standing  on  legs,  were  cast  and  set  in 
the  fireplaces. 

After  the  panic,  Chicago  recovered  her  prosperity  and 
grew  steadily  in  population  and  commerce.  Wheat,  flour, 
corn,  oats  and  meat  poured  in  from  the  rich  farming 
section.  By  1850,  the  beef  and  lumber  trade  had  grown 
to  be  the  greatest  in  America.  Frame  business  blocks 
began  to  give  place  to  substantial  brick  structures. 

The  First  Public  School  Building  in  Chicago.  There 
was  not  a  school  building  in  the  city  prior  to  1844.  Schools 
there  were,  to  be  sure,  but  they  were  conducted  in  rented 
rooms.  A  few  years  later,  Alderman  Miltimore  obtained 


148  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

an  appropriation  to  build  a  public  school.  The  people  ridi- 
culed the  idea.  They  said  it  was  squandering  money. 
When  completed,  it  was  called  "Miltimore's  Folly." 
The  Mayor,  too,  scoffed  at  it  because  it  was  too  extravagant 
to  build  such  a  useless,  costly  structure.  He  declared  that 
it  would  accommodate  more  children  than  there  ever  would 
be  in  Chicago,  and  that  it  should  be  turned  into  an  asylum 
for  the  insane.  If  this  mayor  had  been  living  in  Chicago 
sixty  years  later,  he  might  have  counted  more  than  a  score 
of  great  high  schools,  nearly  three  hundred  elementary 
schools,  and  three  hundred  thousand  school  children.  For 
some  years  the  Board  of  Education  was  not  able  to  construct 
buildings  fast  enough  to  keep  pace  with  the  increasing 
number  of  school  children. 

Plank  Roads.  In  those  early  days,  Chicago's  com- 
merce dwindled  away  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  because 
it  was  well-nigh  impossible  at  this  season  for  the  farmers 
to  make  their  way  over  the  low,  flat  prairies,  through  the 
muddy  roads.  To  overcome  this  hindrance,  plank  roads 
were  built  by  private  companies  in  every  direction  from 
the  city,  costing  from  1,000  to  1,500  dollars  per  mile. 
Whoever  used  these  roads  had  to  pay  a  toll  of  one  and  a 
half  cents  per  mile,  to  keep  the  roads  in  repair.  These 
plank  roads  paid  the  owners  from  fifteen  to  forty  per 
cent,  per  year,  which  proved  a  fine  investment. 

There  were  still,  1850,  no  paved  streets  in  the  "Windy 
City."  In  the  spring,  teams  stuck  in  the  mud  in  almost 
every  block  on  Lake  Street.  On  boards  sticking  up  in  the 
streets,  might  be  read  such  signs  as,  "No  Bottom  Here," 
or,  "Shortest  Road  to  China."  The  plank  street-crossings 
were  covered  with  mud,  and  seemed  only  to  keep  the  foot- 
passengers  from  sinking  out  of  sight. 

"The  chief  business  of  the  city  at  that  time,"  said  a 
newcomer,  "seemed  to  be  receiving  emigrants  bound  for 


FORT  DEARBORN  AND  EARLY  CHICAGO     149 

the  West,  and  fitting  them  out  for  their  journey  across 
the  country.  As  we  entered  the  narrow  river  which  is  the 
harbor,  we  could  see  muddy  streets,  along  which  were  suc- 
cessions of  small  frame  buildings,  with  a  few  brick,  no  two 
of  them  the  same  height,  with  board  sidewalks  on  such 
differing  levels  that  pedestrians  in  walking  a  single  block 
were  obliged  to  ascend  and  descend  stairways  a  dozen 
or  more  times." 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  What  were  some  of  the  reasons  why  a  fort  was  necessary  at 
Chicago? 

2.  Describe  the  conditions  of  life  at  Fort  Dearborn  up  to  the 
time  of  the  massacre. 

3.  What  was  the  appearance  of  Chicago  in  1832? 

4.  What  is  the  history  of  the  Illinois-Michigan    Canal,    and  in 
what  condition  is  it  at  present? 

5.  How  does  the  growth  of  the  public  school  system  of  Chicago 
compare  with  the  growth  of  the  schools  in  the  state  outside  the 
city? 

LESSON   HELPS 

Chicago  in  1831.  The  fort  was  inclosed  by  high  pickets,  with 
bastions  at  the  alternate  angles.  Large  gates  opened  to  the  north 
and  south,  and  there  were  small  portions  here  and  there  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  inmates.  The  bank  of  the  river  which 
stretches  to  the  west,  now  covered  by  the  light-house  buildings, 
and  inclosed  by  docks,  was  then  occupied  by  the  root-houses  of  the 
garrison.  Beyond  the  parade-ground  which  extended  south  of  the 
pickets,  were  the  company  gardens,  well  filled  with  currant  bushes 
and  young  fruit-trees.  — MRS.  JOHN  H.  KINZIE. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Early  Chicago  and  Illinois.     Mason. 

Chicago  before  the  Fire.    Scribner's  Magazine,  Vol.  17,  Page  663. 

Chicago  in  Its  Infancy.     All  the  Year,  Vol.  75,  Page  198. 

Making  of  the  Great  West.     Drake. 

Early  Illinois.     Matson. 


CHAPTER  XII 

Their  council-fire  has  long  since  gone  out  on  the  shore,  and 
their  war-cry  is  fast  fading  to  the  untrodden  west.  Slowly  and 
sadly  they  climb  the  distant  mountains,  and  read  their  doom  in  the 
setting  sun.  — CHARLES  SPRAGUE. 

THE  BLACK   HAWK   WAR 

The  Chief  Indian  Village.  For  generations  the  Sacs 
and  Foxes  had  roamed  the  plains  of  Illinois.  Their  chief 
village  of  Saukenuk  was  located  near  the  mouth  of  Rock 
River.  The  nation's  graves  were  here,  and  the  affections 
of  the  whole  tribe  were  centered  about  this  village. 

The  Indian  Treaty.  Shortly  after  the  War  of  1812,  they 
ceded  to  the  United  States  fifty  million  acres  of  ground, 
mostly  in  Illinois,  for  the  annual  payment  of  one  thousand 
dollars.  The  Indians  were  to  be  permitted  to  hunt  on  this 
land  as  long  as  it  belonged  to  the  government.  This  treaty, 
as  usual,  was  all  in  favor  of  the  United  States,  and  now 
they  wished  the  Indians  to  withdraw  across  the  Mississippi. 

The  Squatters  Want  the  Indians'  Cornfields.  There- 
was,  as  yet,  no  need  to  crowd  the  red  men  out,  since  the 
settlements  had  not  approached  within  fifty  miles  of  their 
village,  and  the  whole  of  northern  Illinois  was  still  unoc- 
cupied, except  by  a  few  scattering  farmers  near  Chicago. 
But  a  report  of  the  fertility  of  the  Indian  lands  had  attracted 
that  restless  class  of  squatters  who  were  always  reaching 
out  to  the  distant  frontiers.  They  knew  there  were  millions 
of  acres  of  vacant  land  on  the  prairies  just  as  good  as  that 
about  the  Indian  village,  but  it  was  not  in  a  condition  to 
plant  crops. 

150 


THE   BLACK   HAWK  WAR  151 

The  Cause  of  Trouble.  The  real  cause  of  the  trouble 
was,  that  the  whites  universally  detested  and  feared  the 
red  men.  This  feeling  is  shown  by  a  law  passed  in  1814 
by  the  Illinois  Legislature,  offering  a  reward  of  fifty  dollars 
for  every  Indian  captured  while  on  the  warpath,  or  killed 
in  any  settlement  of  the  whites,  or  one  hundred  dollars  for 
each  warrior,  squaw  or  child  taken  prisoner  or  killed  in 
their  own  territory,  during  hostilities.  The  presence  of 
the  savages  in  the  state  could  no  longer  be  tolerated,  and 
the  cry  was,  "the  Indian  must  go." 

Squatters  Ordered  Off  by  Black  Hawk.  Every  year, 
when  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  returned  from  their  annual 
hunt,  they  found  more  of  their  cornfields  fenced  in  by 
white  squatters,  who  had  not  the  shadow  of  a  right  to  them. 
The  squaws  and  children  were  driven  off  and  sometimes 
their  lodges  were  burned.  When  the  warriors  returned  in 
the  spring  of  1830,  to  find  the  graves  of  their  ancestors 
turned  under  by  the  plow,  the  patience  of  Black  Hawk  was 
about  exhausted,  but  no  outbreak  occurred  until  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  when  they  returned  from  an  unsuccessful 
hunt  to  find  most  of  their  fields  in  other  hands,  and  starva- 
tion staring  them  in  the  face.  They  were  in  no  mood  to 
parley.  When  told,  with  a  threat,  to  clear  out,  they  replied 
that  if  anyone  was  to  withdraw,  it  must  be  the  whites, 
and  that  they  meant  to  help  them  go. 

Governor  Reynolds  Drives  Black  Hawk  across  the 
Mississippi.  The  squatters,  numbering  about  forty,  now 
appealed  to  Governor  Reynolds  to  protect  them  from  the 
misused  Indians.  They  told  the  Governor  that  the  Indians 
had  thrown  down  their  fences,  driven  off  their  cattle,  and 
threatened  their  lives.  Reynolds  replied  by  ordering  the 
removal  of  the  tribe  entirely  from  the  state.  The  militia 
was  called  out  and  Black  Hawk,  seeing  the  uselessness 
of  fighting  many  times  his  own  number,  retreated  across 


152  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

the  Mississippi.  He  was  forced  to  agree  not  to  return,  but, 
for  some  reason,  he  came  back  the  following  year.  Black 
Hawk  claimed  that  the  chiefs  who  signed  the  treaty 
giving  away  the  lands  had  no  right  to  do  this,  that  the  lands 
belonged  to  the  tribes,  and  not  to  the  chiefs. 

Indian  Fighting  Continues.  Eight  thousand  volunteers 
were  called  out  to  join  fifteen  hundred  soldiers  of  the  regu- 
lar army,  to  expel  from  the  state  this  starving  tribe  of  four 
hundred  braves  and  their  women  and  children. 

The  war  lasted  three  months.  During  this  time  there 
was  pillage,  burning,  and  bloodshed  among  the  various 
unprotected  settlements.  The  scattered  pioneer  families 
quickly  withdrew,  with  their  valuables,  to  the  block- 
houses and  forts.  Those  about  Chicago,  to  the  number 
of  five  hundred,  crowded  into  Fort  Dearborn,  where  it 
was  almost  impossible  to  feed  and  shelter  them.  It  hap- 
pened that  two  settlers  had  gone  into  stock-raising,  and 
had,  already  for  market,  one  hundred  fifty  cattle.  They 
drove  them  into  the  enclosure  of  the  fort,  and  thereby 
averted  a  meat  famine. 

General  Scott  soon  came  by  steamer,  with  reenforce- 
ments  for  the  garrison,  but  he  brought  along  also  the 
dreaded  cholera,  which  had  broken  out  among  his  soldiers 
on  the  steamer.  The  inhabitants  of  the  fort  were  soon 
dying  so  fast,  that  there  were  left  hardly  enough  well 
ones  to  take  care  of  the  sick  and  bury  the  dead.  As 
soon  as  they  knew  what  the  disease  was,  the  settlers  fled 
from  the  fort,  preferring  the  possible  danger  of  toma- 
hawk and  scalping  knife,  to  the  ravages  of  this  fatal 
pestilence. 

The  Indians  were  hotly  pursued  by  superior  numbers 
and  driven  from  place  to  place.  Having  no  chance  to 
obtain  food,  they  were  forced  to  eat  bark  stripped  from 
the  trees,  and  meat  from  the  carcasses  of  their  dead  ponies. 


THE   BLACK   HAWK   \VAR  153 

Frequently,  along  the  march,  were  found  the  bodies  of 
those  who  fell  from  starvation  and  exhaustion. 

Battle  of  Bad  Ax.  The  wretched  band  was  at  length 
run  down,  surrounded  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  mercilessly  butchered.  So  furious  was  the  American 
firing  that  many  warriors  threw  down  their  muskets  and 
climbed  trees  to  save  their  lives,  only  to  be  picked  off 
by  sharpshooters.  When  the  slaughter  ceased,  the  three 
hundred  women  and  children  who  survived,  retreated 
across  the  Mississippi,  helpless  from  hunger  and  suffering 
from  wounds.  Here  they  supposed  they  were  safe,  but 
General  Atkinson  had  instructed  a  band  of  Sioux  Indians 
to  attack  them,  and  about  half  of  the  poor  survivors 
were  slain. 

Black  Hawk  Surrenders.  Black  Hawk  had  escaped 
to  the  forest  before  his  nation  was  driven  across  the  Missis- 
sippi. After  the  war  he  gave  himself  up.  He  said,  "I  loved 
my  village,  my  cornfields  and  my  people.  I  fought  for  them. 
They  are  now  yours.  I  have  looked  upon  the  Mississippi 
since  I  was  a  child.  I  love  the  great  river.  I  have  always 
dwelt  upon  its  banks.  I  look  upon  it  now,  and  I  am  sad. 
I  shake  hands  with  you.  We  are  now  friends." 

Black  Hawk's  Last  Days.  Black  Hawk  was  taken 
east  to  see  President  Jackson.  He  said  to  him,  "You 
are  a  man,  and  I  am  another."  He  was  put  in  prison, 
first  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  later,  after  being  taken  on 
a  tour  through  the  eastern  cities,  he  was  placed  in  Fort 
Armstrong.  After  five  years,  his  freedom  was  given  him, 
and,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one,  he  was  placed  upon  a  reser- 
vation in  Iowa,  where  he  soon  died. 

The  Red  Men  Disappear  from  Illinois.  Thus,  the  last 
of  the  red  men  disappeared  from  the  fertile  plains  of 
Illinois.  The  war  cost  millions  of  dollars,  and  a  thousand 
lives.  The  whole  disgraceful  contest  might  have  been 


154  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

avoided  by  wise  and  just  treatment  of  the  Indians,  and 
the  payment  of  a  few  thousand  dollars  for  land  worth 
millions.  It  is  interesting  to  know  that  Abraham  Lincoln 
and  Jefferson  Davis  fought  side  by  side  in  this  war. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  On  what  theory  was  the  ownership  of  the  land  vested  in  the 
Indian? 

2.  Would   white   citizens   who  were   guilty  of  the   crimes   the 
Indians  perpetrated  on  the  occupants  of  Fort  Dearborn  be  allowed 
to  own  property  and  run  at  large? 

3.  Could  the  white  settlers  have  lived  in  peace  with  the  Indians 
if  there  had  been  no  occasion  to  quarrel  over  the  ownership  of  the 
land? 

4.  Give  your  estimate  of  the  character  of  Black  Hawk. 

5.  Was  he  a  typical  Indian? 

LESSON   HELPS 

Attempts  to  Surrender.  The  chief  was  so  touched  by  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  women  and  children;  the  starving  condition  of  the 
men,  and  the  utter  hopelessness  of  continuing  the  unequal  strug- 
gle, that  he  decided  to  surrender.  Accordingly  he  sent  a  hundred 
and  fifty-six  warriors  to  the  edge  of  the  stream  with  a  flag  of  -truce. 
An  effort  wras  made  to  communicate  with  the  Winnebago  inter- 
preter on  board  the  boat.  But  either  the  interpreter  failed  to  under- 
stand what  was  shouted  to  him  by  the  Indians  on  shore,  or  he  was 
treacherous  and  failed  to  report  the  message  correctly  to  Captain 
Throckmorton,  of  the  Warrior  (name  of  boat),  or  Lieut.  Kingsburg, 
who  commanded  the  troops,  for  certain  it  is  those  on  the  boat  paid 
no  attention  to  the  white  flag  of  truce  or  to  the  expressed  desire  on 
the  part  of  Black  Hawk  to  surrender.  — NORMAN  B.  WOOD. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

The  Story  of  the  Black  Hawk  Wrar.     Thwaites. 
History  of  the  Black  Hawk  War.     Wakefield. 
Making  of  the  Great  West.      Drake. 
Memories  of  Shaubena.     Matson. 
The  Black  Hawk  War.     Stevens. 
Decisive  Dates  in  Illinois  History.     Jones. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

God  took  care  to  hide  that  country  till  He  judged 

His  people  ready, 
Then  He  chose  me  for  His  Whisper,  and  I've  found 

It,  and  it's  yours! 

— The  Explorer — RUDYAHD  KIPLINCJ. 

A   TIDE   OF   IMMIGRATION 

Why  People  Rushed  to  the  West.  Perhaps  you  will 
wonder  why  so  many  people  were  willing  to  leave  their 
friends  and  relatives  and  their  old  homes  on  the  Atlantic 
for  the  lonely  cabin  life  on  the  prairies,  about  which  they 
knew  so  little.  There  were  many  reasons  for  this  tide  of 
emigration  to  the  West. 

The  soldiers  who  had  chased  Black  Hawk  and  his 
tribe  of  Indians  up  and  down  the  state,  carried  back  to 
their  homes  in  the  East  glowing  accounts  of  the  prairies. 
Land  companies  were  formed  to  speculate  in  western  lands. 
They  sent  thousands  of  circulars  among  the  people  of 
the  Atlantic  seaboard,  pointing  out  the  golden  opportuni- 
ties in  Illinois.  The  walls  of  buildings  in  the  eastern 
cities  were  covered  with  maps  of  western  towns  that  never 
existed,  and  whose  location  was  miles  in  the  wilderness, 
without  a  house  or  a  human  being.  The  land  craze  spread 
over  the  East.  Those  who  came  first  were  delighted,  and 
wrote  back  to  their  friends,  painting  the  prairie  life  in  bright 
colors.  Thus  many  were  taken  with  the  "western  fever." 
Some  restless  characters  came  for  the  mere  sake  of  adven- 
ture. They  longed  for  the  excitement  and  dangers  of  the 
frontier  life.  Others  bent  their  way  westward  because  they 

155 


156  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

believed  that  a  new  country  offered  a  better  chance  to  get 
on  in  the  world,  and  to  make  a  fortune. 

Cheap  Lands  in  the  West.  Farm  lands  in  the  East  had 
risen  in  price  beyond  the  reach  of  the  poor,  while  the  fine 
prairies  of  Illinois  could  be  had  for  two  dollars  an  acre. 
This  was  later,  1841,  reduced  to  a  dollar  and  a  quarter 
an  acre.  Products  could  be  raised  in  the  fertile  West, 
shipped  to  eastern  market,  and  sold  cheaper  than  the 
eastern  farmer  could  raise  them  on  his  rocky  hillside  farm. 
This  led  the  New  England  farmer  to  sell  out  and  make 
his  way  toward  the  setting  sun.  There  were  crop  failures 
in  New  England  from  1824  to  1837  that  drove  many  to 
seek  new  homes.  Yankee  farmers  of  wealth  went  into 
sheep-raising,  which,  on  account  of  the  tariff  on  wool,  was 
very  profitable.  They  could  use  large  tracts  of  compara- 
tively poor  land  for  sheep  pastures,  and  so  they  bought 
out  the  small  farmers,  thus  giving  the  sellers  a  chance  to 
move  toward  the  sunset  frontier. 

Western  Trade  Floated  to  New  Orleans.  The  trade 
of  the  entire  Ohio  and  Mississippi  valleys  was  floated 
down  to  New  Orleans,  and  her  wharves  were  lined  with 
hundreds  of  flatboats  unloading  wheat,  flour,  pork  and 
live  stock,  gathered  up  on  the  central  prairies.  Fifteen 
hundred  flat-bottomed  boats  and  five  hundred  barges 
floated  down  the  Mississippi  to  New  Orleans  in  one  year 
(1817).  New  Orleans  was  enjoying  a  rich  harvest,  and 
her  population  was  growing. 

Water  is  always  the  cheapest  way  to  carry  goods. 
The  Cumberland  Road  brought  Baltimore  and  other  east- 
ern cities  into  easier  communication  with  Wheeling  and 
Pittsburg,  but  it  still  cost  too  much  to  haul  goods  over 
this  long  route.  The  freight  on  a  single  ton  of  goods  from 
Philadelphia  to  Pittsburg,  by  wagon,  was  one  hundred 
twenty-five  dollars.  For  hauling  a  hundred  pounds  of 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Or  m.£3{3 


A  TIDE  OF  IMMIGRATION  159 

sugar  three  hundred  miles  by  wagon,  the  charge  was  five 
dollars.  In  fact,  the  freight  was  often  greater  than  the 
first  cost  of  the  merchandise.  Western  cities  could  still 
get  goods  much  cheaper  by  way  of  New  Orleans. 

Why  Canals  Were  Built  to  Reach  the  Ohio  and  the 
Lakes.  Now  the  eastern  cities  were  not  willing  to  see 
New  Orleans  enjoy  all  this  rich  trade,  but  how  could  they 
prevent  it,  unless  they,  too,  could  get  a  short  water  route 
to  these  western  regions?  At  last  they  hit  upon  the  idea 
of  building  canals  to  the  Ohio  along  the  waterways  that 
penetrated  the  backbone  of  the  Alleghanies. 

There  was  also  another  reason  for  this  canal  craze 
that  swept  over  the  Atlantic  states.  People  were  flock- 
ing westward  in  such  numbers  that  the  East  was  being 
drained  of  its  population,  especially  of  the  laboring  classes. 
In  order  to  stop  this  loss,  the  legislatures  of  Virginia  and 
North  Carolina  decided  to  build  good  roads  and  canals, 
and  to  improve  their  rivers  so  that  farmers  could  get  to 
market  more  easily.  This,  they  thought,  would  satisfy  the 
farmers,  and  cure  their  longing  for  the  west. 

Effect  of  the  Canals.  New  York  tried  to  get  Congress 
to  build  a  canal  from  Albany  to  Buffalo,  and  when  the 
national  government  refused,  the  state  undertook  it  alone. 
When  the  Erie  Canal,  as  it  was  called,  was  completed, 
1825,  the  trade  of  New  York  City  with  the  Great  Lake 
region,  and  even  with  Pittsburg,  grew  rapidly.  Philadelphia 
business  men  could  not  long  remain  idle  and  see  their  rivals 
at  New  York  City  growing  rich  upon  trade  that  should 
come  to  them,  and  so  Pennsylvania  was  soon  building  a 
system  of  canals  to  connect  different  parts  of  the  state 
with  Pittsburg. 

All  these  roads  and  canals,  instead  of  checking  the 
westward  movement,  helped  it  along.  In  early  days,  the 
emigrants  directed  their  steps  toward  the  Ohio,  because 


160  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

once  reached,  it  would  carry  them  westward  without 
effort. 

The  Portage  Railroad.  But  one  emigrant,  bound  for 
Illinois  by  way  of  the  Ohio,  built  his  boat  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Alleghany  mountains.  He  did  not  expect,  when  he 
started,  to  ride  in  it  clear  over  the  top  of  this  mountain 
range.  But,  let  us  follow  his  westward  journey: 

"Jesse  Cheesman  loaded  his  boat,  which  he  called 
the  'Hit  or  Miss,'  on  the  Lacka wanna  river  in  north- 
eastern Pennsylvania.  He  had  on  board,  besides  his  wife 
and  children,  beds,  furniture,  tools,  pigeons,  and  live 
stock.  He  sailed  down  stream  till  he  came  to  the  Penn- 
sylvania canal  at  Harrisburg.  Here  his  craft  was  taken 
into  the  canal,  which  he  followed  westward  to  its  end 
at  Hollidaysburg,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Alleghany  range, 
where  he  expected  to  sell  his  boat. 

"But  he  found  at  this  point  a  curious  portage  rail- 
road, thirty-six  miles  long,  leading  over  the  mountains 
to  Johnstown,  on  the  other  branch  of  the  canal.  The  rail- 
road agent  told  Cheesman  not  to  sell  his  boat,  because  he 
would  have  to  buy  or  build  another  on  the  west  side. 
He  said  he  could  take  Cheesman's  family  over  the  moun- 
tains, boat  and  all,  if  he  would  put  the  vessel  on  wheels. 
This  was  done,  and  the  vessel  and  cargo  started  over  the 
Alleghanies  on  the  railroad.  Horses  and  mules  served  as 
engines  on  some  of  the  level  stretches  of  track  of  this 
portage  railroad,  and  stationary  engines  pulled  them  up  the 
steep  inclines,  by  winding  up  a  long  cable,  one  end  of  which 
was  tied  to  the  car.  There  were  six  inclines  on  each  side 
of  the  mountain  range,  where  stationary  engines  were 
necessary  on  account  of  the  steep  grades. 

"Cheesman's  boat,  starting  at  noon,  rested  at  night 
on  the  top  of  the  mountains,  like  Noah's  ark  on  Ararat. 
Thie  was  done,  too,  without  disturbing  the  family  arrange- 


A   TIDE   OF   IMMIGRATION  161 

ment  of  cooking,  eating  and  sleeping.  The  next  morning 
the  boat  was  let  down  in  the  same  manner  into  the  Ohio 
valley,  launched  in  the  canal  at  Johnstown,  and  sailed  for 
Illinois.  To  cross  this  portage  of  thirty-six  miles,  Chees- 
man's  boat  was  hitched  to  twelve  stationary  engines,  twelve 
different  mule  teams,  and  nine  locomotives.  It  took  fifty- 
four  trainmen  and  drivers  to  conduct  him  across,  twelve  engi- 
neers and  twelve  fireman  for  the  stationary  engines,  nine 
of  each  for  the  locomotives,  and  twelve  drivers  of  mules." 

Steamboats  on  Western  Rivers.  The  first  steamboat 
on  the  Ohio  was  built  in  1811.  It  was  six  years  before 
the  first  one  landed  at  St.  Louis.  These  early  boats  were 
not  well  suited  for  river  use,  because  they  were  copied  after 
deep  sea  vessels,  and  drew  too  much  water.  So,  during 
the  summer  when  the  river  was  low,  they  were  useless. 
Most  of  them  used  stern  wheels,  because  Fulton  had  a 
patent  on  the  side  wheels,  and  made  owners  pay  to  use 
them.  Early  steamboats  were  poorly  built  and  met  with 
many  accidents.  Boilers  blew  up,  and  often  they  were 
stranded  on  sand  bars  or  tree  trunks  hidden  under  the 
water.  They  went  very  slowly  up  stream,  two  or  three 
miles  an  hour. 

A  writer  of  that  day  gives  the  following  description 
of  a  boat's  human  cargo:  "In  the  cabin  you  will  find 
ladies  and  gentlemen  of  various  claims  to  merit,  on  the 
forward  part  of  the  boat,  the  sailors  and  firemen,  full 
of  noise  and  song,  and  too  often,  of  whiskey;  whilst  above 
in  the  deck  cabin  there  is  everything  which  may  be  called 
human — all  sorts  of  men  and  women,  of  all  trades,  from 
all  parts  of  the  world,  of  all  possible  manners  and  habits. 
There  is  the  half-horse  and  half-alligator  Kentucky  boat- 
man, swaggering  and  boasting  of  his  prowess,  his  rifle, 
his  horse,  and  his  wife.  One  is  sawing  away  on  his  wretched 
old  fiddle  all  day  long,  another  is  grinding  a  knife  or  a 


162  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

razor;  here  is  a  party  playing  cards;  and  in  yonder  corner 
is  a  dance  to  the  sound  of  a  Jew's  harp." 

The  Overland  Trip.  It  was  no  small  task  to  provide 
roomy  flatboats,  or  arks,  for  the  live  stock  that  many  emi- 
grants wished  to  take  with  them  to  their  new  homes,  so 
large  numbers  made  the  entire  journey  overland. 

For  the  overland  trip  to  Illinois  the  ox-cart  was  much 
used.  A  yoke  of  oxen  could  draw  an  enormous  load. 
They  went  at  a  snail's  pace — one  and  a  half  miles  an 
hour.  In  the  autumn,  when  the  crops  were  harvested  and 
the  oxen  were  fat,  and  the  roads  dry  and  hard,  farmers 
from  Pennsylvania,  Ohio  and  Indiana  could  be  seen,  some- 
times singly,  sometimes  in  caravans,  making  their  way  to  the 
great  West  to  try  their  fortune.  Newspapers  of  that  day 
often  made  mention  of  large  parties  passing.  "On  the  27th 
ult.  quite  a  caravan  of  the  hardy  sons  of  Pennsylvania  passed 
through  this  city  on  their  way  to  Stephenson  County,  Illi- 
nois. There  were  fourteen  wagons  and  sixty-one  persons." 

One  man,  traveling  through  Indiana,  towards  Vin- 
cennes,  counted  four  hundred  emigrant's  wagons  in  fifty- 
five  miles.  Some  even  traveled  afoot.  "Sometimes  the 
light  wagons  containing  the  possessions  of  the  movers 
were  drawn  by  the  people  themselves,  the  head  .of  the 
family  between  the  shafts  of  the  wagon,  harnessed  with 
a  collar  and  traces,  while  the  rest  of  the  family,  according 
to  their  strength,  pulled  with  ropes  attached  to  various 
parts  of  the  vehicle.  Below  the  axle  dangled  pots  and  ket- 
tles of  all  sizes  and  forms.  To  a  Yankee  mover,  a  plow,  a 
bed,  a  barrel  of  salty  meat,  a  supply  of  tea  and  molasses, 
a  Bible,  and  a  wife,  were  the  indispensable  articles." 

Children  Driving  the  Stock.  In  front  usually  rode 
on  horseback,  the  eldest  sons  or  daughters  driving  cows, 
sheep,  and  hogs.  "To  start  off  with  a  mixed  drove  of 
animals  was  no  trifling  affair,  for,  though  they  would 


A   TIDE   OF   IMMIGRATION  163 

drive  pretty  well  after  getting  used  to  the  road,  their 
obstinacy  and  contrariety  at  first  were  surprising,  and  a 
boy  to  each  animal  was  little  enough.  First  a  pig  would 
dart  back  and  run  like  a  deer  till  he  was  headed  and  turned, 
by  which  time  the  others  would  meet  him  and  all  have  to 
be  driven  up;  while,  in  the  meantime,  a  cow  or  two  would 
be  sailing  down  a  by-lane  with  elevated  head  and  tail, 
and  a  breathless  boy  circling  through  a  field  or  the  woods 
to  intercept  her  career;  and  then  the  sheep  would  start 
over  a  broken  piece  of  fence,  the  last  following  the  first, 
and  leaping  higher  over  every  obstacle,  till  they  were  brought 
back  to  the  road."  Sometimes  the  horses  would  get  loose 
during  the  night,  and,  having  a  feeling  of  homesickness, 
they  would  make  off  toward  the  old  home,  leaving  the 
family  in  great  despair. 

In  very  hot  weather  the  caravans  traveled  at  night, 
and  rested  by  day  in  some  cool  shade,  near  water  and 
wood.  When  they  camped,  the  fire  was  started,  the  cook- 
ing utensils  brought  out,  and  while  the  meal  was  cooking, 
the  men  unharnessed  the  tired  horses,  and  put  them  out 
to  graze  on  the  open  prairie,  while  the  children  skipped 
about,  exploring  the  new  surroundings.  Beds  were  made 
up  in  the  wagon,  and  sometimes,  in  good  weather,  upon 
the  ground. 

In  the  morning  there  was  a  stir  and  bustle  to  get  started. 
The  stock  was  rounded  up  and  driven  on  ahead.  After 
breakfast,  camp  was  broken  and  all  were  again  moving 
westward.  Fifteen  miles  was  a  good  day's  journey. 

TOPICS   FOR  THOUGHT  AND   STUDY 

1.  What  is  meant  by  the  present-day  phrase,  "back  to  the  land"? 

2.  Do  the  so-called  "land-boomers"  do  more  harm  than  good 
by  their  glowing  descriptions  of  the  beauties  and  profits  of  western 
lands? 


164  THE   STORY  OF   ILLINOIS 

3.  Did  the  canals  play  as  important  a  part  in  the  settlement 
of  the  West  as  the  ox-cart? 

4.  Trace  the  journey  of  Cheesman's  boat  on  the  map,  and  note 
what  great  railway  line  closely  follows  that  route  today. 

LESSON   HELPS 

"Booming."  The  first  use  of  boom  to  indicate  a  rapid  develop- 
ment occurred  in  the  "St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat,"  July  18,  1878, 
in  the  sentence,  "The  Grant  Movement  is  booming."  The  author, 
J.  B.  McCullogh,  says  in  a  letter  to  the  editors  of  the  Century  Dic- 
tionary, "I  can  not  explain  how  I  came  to  use  it,  except  that  while 
on  the  gunboats  on  the  Mississippi  River  during  the  war,  I  used  to 
hear  the  pilots  say  of  the  river,  when  rising  rapidly  and  overflowing 
its  banks,  that  it  was  'booming.'  The  idea  I  wished  to  convey 
was  that  the  Grant  Movement  was  rising,  swelling,  etc." 

The  Expansion  of  the  American  People.  In  one  year  97,736 
passengers  left  Buffalo  for  the  West.  During  another  year  ninety 
vessels  reached  Detroit,  one  carrying  seven  hundred  people.  The 
first  stanza  of  a  song  circulated  in  the  eastern  states  to  induce 
migration  runs: 

Come,  all  ye  Yankee  farmers  who  wish  to  change  your  lot, 
Who've  spunk  enough  to  travel  beyond  your  native  spot, 
And  leave  behind  the  village  where  pa  and  ma  do  stay, 
Come,  follow  me  and  settle  in  Michigania. 

In  a  St.  Louis  paper  an  advertisement  of  the  burlesque  town  of 
"Ne  Plus  Ultra"  appeared.  The  streets  were  to  be  one  mile  in 
width,  and  the  squares  were  sections  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres 
each.  In  the  heart  of  the  city  a  road  from  Pekin  to  Jerusalem 
crossed  another  from  the  south  pole  to  Symmes'  hole  at  the 
north  pole.  — EDWIN  ERLE  SPARKS. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

History  of  Immigration.     Lend  a  Hand,  Vol.  II,  Page  276. 
Early  Illinois.     Mason. 
History  of  Illinois.     Carpenter. 
History  of  Illinois.     Moses. 
History  of  Illinois.     Ford. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

The  representative  Yankee,  selling  his  farm,  wanders  away  to 
seek  new  lands,  to  clear  new  cornfields,  to  build  another  shingle  pal- 
ace, and  again  to  sell  off  and  wander.  — ANONYMOUS. 

YANKEES  IN  NORTHERN  ILLINOIS 

Black  Hawk  War  Checks  Western  Immigration.  When 
Black  Hawk  and  his  nation  took  the  war-path,  in  1832, 
all  the  outlying  settlements  became  greatly  alarmed.  Not 
knowing  at  what  hour  of  night  they  might  be  awakened 
by  the  warwhoop,  they  made  haste  to  seek  safety.  Some 
took  their  belongings  and  returned  to  their  old  homes  in 
the  South.  Others  withdrew  southward  to  the  nearest 
settlements  or  block  houses.  Stories  of  Indian  barbarity 
were  told  in  the  Atlantic  states,  and  the  enthusiasm  for 
prairie  homes  soon  cooled. 

A  New  Route  to  the  West.  After  the  Black  Hawk 
war  was  over  and  the  prairies  cleared  of  red  men,  immi- 
gration set  in  stronger  than  ever,  but  coming  now  mainly 
from  New  York  and  New  England.  The  opening  of  the 
Erie  Canal,  1825,  made  the  trip  from  the  Hudson  River 
to  Buffalo  an  easy  one,  while  steam  vessels  on  the  Great 
Lakes  enabled  the  emigrants  from  Buffalo  to  reach  Chicago 
quickly  and  easily.  This  northern  route  to  Illinois  now 
became  very  popular  with  the  Yankee  farmers,  who  came 
in  such  swarms  as  to  quickly  seize  hold  of  the  northern  and 
central  parts  of  our  state. 

Steamers  on  the  Great  Lakes.  The  first  steamer  that 
ever  floated  on  Lake  Erie,  called  Walk-in-the- Water, 

165 


NEW  ENGLAND  SETTLEMENT 

in  the  old 

NORTHWEST    TERRITORY 
185O 

I      -Vj  New  England  Settlements 


THE  YANKEES  IN  ILLINOIS 


YANKEES   IN   NORTHERN   ILLINOIS        167 

reached  Detroit  in  1818,  and  the  next  year  proceeded  to 
Mackinac,  where  the  savages  were  made  to  believe  that 
the  strange  looking  vessel,  with  neither  oars  nor  sails, 
was  drawn  by  a  huge  team  of  trained  sturgeon.  It  was 
several  years,  however,  before  the  first  steamer  reached 
Chicago.  The  first  one  arrived  in  1832,  bearing  provisions 
for  the  army  that  was  fighting  Black  Hawk.  The  number 
of  steamboats  on  the  lakes  increased  wonderfully  in  the 
next  few  years. 

Where  Immigrants  Left  the  Lakes.  In  1834,  eighty 
thousand  emigrants  departed  from  Buffalo  westward. 
Some  of  these  left  the  lake  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  and  fol- 
lowed the  Indian  trail  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Ohio. 
Others,  among  whom  was  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  stopped 
off  at  Cleveland,  and  directed  their  course  toward  the 
Ohio.  Still  others  left  the  lake  at  Toledo,  ascended  the 
Maumee  river,  as  General  Hamilton  had  done  years 
before,  and  came  down  the  Wabash  to  Vincennes.  A  con- 
siderable number  took  their  course  through  the  forests 
from  Detroit,  either  to  the  Kankakee,  which  they  followed 
to  the  Illinois  river,  or  around  the  southern  end  of  Lake 
Michigan  to  Chicago. 

Steamboats  to  Chicago  Increase.  But  after  the  steam- 
boats began  regular  trips  to  Chicago,  most  of  the  Yankee 
farmers  bound  for  Illinois  came  to  this  city.  There  were 
four  arrivals  of  boats  at  Chicago  the  first  season,  the  next 
year  nearly  two  hundred,  and  in  1836  the  number  had  grown 
to  four  hundred  fifty. 

A  Chicago  paper  in  1835  said:  "Almost  all  the  vessels 
from  the  lower  lakes  are  full  of  passengers,  and  our  streets 
are  thronged  with  wagons  loaded  with  household  furniture 
and  the  implements  necessary  to  farming.  Foot  passengers, 
too,  with  well  filled  sacks  on  their  shoulders,  come  in 
large  numbers." 


168  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Final  Journey  by  Stage.  Stage  lines  ran  from  Chicago, 
carrying  these  newcomers  in  all  directions.  The  chief  one 
followed  the  state  road  to  Danville.  Another  carried 
passengers  to  the  Kankakee,  where  they  took  boat  for 
central  Illinois  or  St.  Louis.  In  1839,  the  Frink  and 
Bingham  stage  line  from  Chicago  to  Galena  advertised 
the  journey  of  one  hundred  sixty  miles  by  stage,  in  two 
days, — the  passenger's  fare  being  twelve  and  one-half 
dollars.  Many  immigrants  purchased  their  teams  and 
wagons  in  Chicago,  laid  in  a  supply  of  implements  and 
provisions,  and  started  off  to  find  a  home.  The  roads 
were  miry  in  places,  and  the  teams  often  stuck  in  the  mud. 
Then  followed  a  long  wait  for  some  mover  to  approach. 
By  double-teaming  they  pulled  each  other  across. 

Yankees  Meet  Southerners  in  Central  Illinois.  These 
immigrants  from  New  England  were  farmers  who  knew 
very  little  about  pioneer  life.  They  differed  very  much 
from  the  woodland-pioneers,  who,  with  their  slaves,  had 
settled  the  entire  wooded  region  of  southern  Illinois.  This 
northern  or  prairie  pioneer,  brought  with  him,  instead 
of  a  rifle  and  hunting  knife,  his  oxen  and  farming  tools. 
With  him  came  the  merchant,  the  schoolmaster  and 
the  preacher. 

The  Yankees  quickly  took  possession  of  all  the  wood- 
lands of  northern  Illinois.  Knowing  little  of  how  to  farm 
the  open  prairies,  they  refused  to  abandon  the  timbered 
regions  until  they  were  all  taken.  Then  some  moved  out 
on  the  higher  prairies,  and  fortune  smiled  on  them. 

These  prairie  pioneers  came  in  such  numbers  that  they 
soon  overflowed  southward,  meeting,  in  the  central  part 
of  the  state,  the  woodland  pioneers  from  the  South,  who  had 
seized  upon  the  timbered  river  valleys.  The  Yankee 
farmers  elbowed  their  way  between  the  wooded  regions, 
seizing  upon  the  open  prairies. 


YANKEES   IN    NORTHERN   ILLINOIS        169 

Problems  of  the  Prairia  Pioneers.  Under  those  new 
conditions  there  were  some  hard  problems  for  the  prairie 
pioneers  to  solve.  First,  he  must  build  a  house  for  his 
family.  If  his  prairie  home  was  within  a  few  miles  of  tim- 
ber, he  might,  if  he  had  the  money,  buy  logs  for  a  cabin. 
But,  if  he  had  settled  twenty  or  thirty  miles  from  wood- 
lands, he  had  to  be  satisfied  with  a  clay  or  sod  house.  The 
latter  was  built  of  sods  about  two  feet  long,  eighteen  inches 
wide,  and  four  inches  thick,  cut  fresh  from  the  prairies. 
These  were  laid  upon  each  other  after  the  manner  of  brick- 
laying, and  held  firm  by  wooden  pegs  driven  through  two 
or  more  layers.  To  roof  it,  shingles  had  to  be  drawn  with 
ox  teams  from  Chicago,  fifty  or  one  hundred  miles  away. 
By  the  time  the  farmer  got  his  lumber  to  his  cabin  it  had 
cost  him  such  unheard-of  prices  that  few  could  afford  it. 
Usually  the  pioneer  had  to  be  contented  at  first  with  a  roof 
of  thatch  or  straw. 

After  a  time  some  one  introduced  a  sawmill.  This 
venture  proved  so  profitable  that  soon  scores  of  mills  were 
set  up  in  the  timber  belt.  The  trees  were  sliced  up  so  fast 
that  the  mud  cabins  rapidly  disappeared,  and  comfortable 
frame  houses  took  their  places. 

Plowing  the  Prairie  Sod.  The  next  problem  of  the 
prairie  farmer  was  to  get  his  fields  ready  for  planting  a 
crop.  He  did  not  have  to  clear  his  ground  of  trees,  to  be 
sure,  but  it  was  a  difficult  job  to  plow  the  tough  sod  of  the 
prairie.  It  was  as  tough  as  leather,  and  neither  a  single 
team  of  horses  nor  oxen  could  turn  it  over  with  a  plowshare. 
What  could  the  farmer  do?  At  last  ox  teams  to  the  number 
of  three,  four,  five,  and  even  six  yoke  were  used,  hitched  to 
a  pair  of  cart  wheels,  and  these  to  a  plow  with  a  beam  four- 
teen feet  long,  and  a  share  which  weighed  anywhere  from 
sixty  to  one  hundred  twenty-five  pounds. 

This  cut  a  furrow  from  sixteen  to  thirty  inches  wide, 


170  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

and  a  few  inches  deep.  Shallow  plowing  proved  the  best, 
as  it  killed  the  prairie  grass  by  exposing  the  roots  to  the 
hot  sun.  The  expense  of  hiring  this  first  plowing  done  was 
greater  than  the  cost  of  the  land  itself.  The  first  season 
brought  a  fair  crop,  and  in  a  few  years  the  black  prairie 
soil  was  yielding  immense  returns. 

The  Pioneer  Builds  Fences.  But  the  farmer  had  to 
protect  his  crop  from  stock,  and  so  needed  fences.  Along 
the  wooded  valleys  this  was  a  simple  problem,  for  rails 
could  be  split  out  of  trees  and  a  fence  made  of  them. 
Farther  from  timber,  this  could  not  be  done.  These 
Yankee  farmers  knew  how  to  build  a  fence  out  of  stones, 
as  they  had  done  in  the  East,  but  there  were  no  stones 
on  the  prairie.  Sod  fences  were  tried,  but  cows  and  pigs 
climbed  over  them  into  the  cornfields,  unless  they  were 
strengthened  by  a  rail  or  board  along  the  top.  Hedges 
were  planted,  but  they  would  not  turn  Mr.  Hog,  besides, 
weeds  and  grass  grew  in  them,  and  that  helped  to  spread 
dangerous  prairie  fires.  Board,  or  picket  fences  were  too 
expensive.  Some  farmers  followed  the  plan  of  fencing 
in  enough  for  the  cattle,  hogs,  and  sheep,  and  farming 
the  prairie  without  a  fence.  Newcomers  frequently  raised 
crops  of  corn  without  protection.  During  the  day,  the  boys 
kept  stray  cattle  off,  and  at  night  the  crop  took  its  chances. 
This  difficulty  of  finding  the  proper  fence  was  not  met  until 
wire  was  used  for  this  purpose. 

It  was  impossible  to  protect  crops  against  gophers  and 
prairie  chickens,  which  often  dug  up  two  or  three  plantings 
of  corn.  Gopher  hunts,  to  kill  off  these  pests,  became 
popular.  The  prairie  wolves  were  more  dangerous.  They 
would  steal  pigs  and  lambs,  and  rob  hencoops.  On  holidays 
hunts  were  organized  to  run  them  down. 

Finding  a  Market.  The  black  prairie  soil  on  ten  thou- 
sand farms  was  producing  immense  crops.  The  farmer's 


YANKEES   IN   NORTHERN   ILLINOIS       171 

corn  cribs  were  bulging  out.  His  wheat  and  oat  bins 
were  full  to  overflowing,  and  his  cattle  and  horses  were 
sleek  and  fat,  but  he  was  not  contented.  To  be  sure,  he 
was  raising  many  times  more  grain  and  stock  than  his 
family  could  use,  but  where  could  he  sell  his  surplus? 
There  were  few  cities  in  Illinois  where  much  farm  produce 
was  wanted.  So  the  farmer  fed  corn  to  cattle  and  hogs, 
because  they  could  walk  to  market.  Such  vast  quantities 
were  raised  that  it  had  to  be  shipped  to  the  Atlantic  cities 
to  find  a  market.  Those  who  happened  to  live  near  large 
rivers,  such  as  the  Wabash,  Illinois,  Ohio,  and  Mississippi, 
could  ship  by  water  on  the  Mississippi  and  the  Atlantic 
to  the  eastern  cities.  But  this  was  a  long,  long  voyage, 
and  the  sea  trip  dangerous.  The  farmer  found  it  better 
to  sell  his  produce  to  a  steamer  at  the  landing  than  to 
have  no  market  at  all. 

"The  Ohio  was  now,  1825,  dotted  with  floating  shops. 
At  the  sound  of  a  horn,  the  inhabitants  of  a  village,  or 
the  settler  and  his  family,  would  come  to  the  river  to 
find  a  dry-goods  boat  fitted  with  counters,  seats  and 
shelves  piled  high  with  finery  of  every  sort,  making  fast 
to  the  bank.  Now  it  would  be  a  tinner's  establishment, 
within  which  articles  of  every  description  were  made, 
sold  and  mended;  now  a  smithy,  where  horses  and  oxen 
were  shod  and  wagons  repaired;  again,  a  factory  for  the 
manufacture  of  axes,  scythes  and  edged  tools."  The 
farmer  could  here  exchange  grain  or  stock  for  clothing, 
cooking  utensils,  furniture,  and  farm  tools. 

National  Road  a  Friend  to  the  Farmer.  By  1840,  the 
Cumberland  National  road  had  been  extended,  at  a  cost 
of  $7,000,000,  through  Columbus,  Indianapolis  and  Van- 
dalia,  to  St.  Louis.  It  played  an  important  part  in  the 
life  of  the  West,  enabling  people  to  travel  overland  easily 
between  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and  the  Mississippi.  Traffic 


172  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

on  this  road  was  very  heavy  in  both  directions.  Drovers 
gathered  up  sheep,  cattle  and  hogs  from  the  prairie  farms 
and  drove  them  to  the  eastern  markets  along  this  pike. 
Emigrants  from  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Pennsylvania  nocked 
to  Illinois  over  this  route.  But  it  was  out  of  the  question 
for  farmers  to  haul  their  wheat  and  oats  a  thousand  miles 
to  Baltimore,  even  over  this  good  road,  to  find  a  purchaser; 
besides,  this  pike  was  convenient  for  those  only  who  lived 
along  it 

Farmers  who  had  settled  near  Lake  Michigan  found  a 
ready  market  at  Chicago, where  their  stock  was  slaughtered 
and  their  grain  shipped  east  by  way  of  the  Great  Lakes 
and  the  Erie  Canal. 

The  Long  Haul  of  the  Inland  Settler.  The  inland 
counties  were  dotted  with  farms  and  granaries  bursting 
with  golden  grain,  but  there  were  no  buyers  short  of 
Chicago,  a  hundred  miles  away.  Here  the  inland  farmer 
must  go  to  sell  hi,3  grain,  and  buy  the  things  he  had  to 
have.  Once  or  twice  a  year  he  set  out  on  this  long  trip. 
Sometimes  farmers  clubbed  together,  loaded  two  or  three 
wagons,  hitched  two  or  three  yoke  of  oxen  to  each,  and 
away  across  the  prairie  they  toiled.  The  trip  took  two 
weeks  or  more.  Their  wheat  was  not  put  into  bags,  but 
was  shoveled  loose  into  the  wagon  box  which  was  lined 
with  a  sheet.  It  was  not  uncommon  to  see  a  hundred 
such  wagons  a  day  on  the  state  road  between  Chicago 
and  Galena.  The  roads  were  poor  and  muddy  much  of 
the  year,  and  few  streams  were  bridged.  So,  there  arose 
among  the  farmers  a  demand  for  good  roads,  canals  and 
railroads,  which  even  yet  has  not  been  fully  answered. 

Great  Improvements  Needed.  Our  state  is  so  vast 
and  was  settled  so  quickly  that  it  was  impossible  to  do 
many  things  that  needed  to  be  done.  The  heaviest  taxes 
that  could  have  been  laid  would  not  have  brought  in 


YANKEES   IN    NORTHERN    ILLINOIS         17:5 

enough  money  to  cut  out  half  the  roads,  or  build  half 
the  bridges  required,  or  clear  half  the  streams  so  boats 
could  run  on  them.  The  people,  however,  insisted  on  these 
improvements.  The  craze  for  canals,  railroads  and  river 
improvements  was  so  overwhelming  that  the  State  Leg- 
islature undertook  to  carry  out  the  people's  wishes. 

Congress  Gives  Illinois  a  Vast  Land  Grant.  The  Illinois- 
Michigan  Canal  was  already  under  way.  Through  the 
efforts  of  Daniel  P.  Cook,  our  representative  in  Congress, 
the  government  had  granted  to  Illinois  two  hundred 
twenty-five  thousand  acres  of  public  land  along  the  route 
of  the  canal.  This  land  was  to  be  sold  by  the  state,  and  the 
proceeds  used  to  build  the  waterway.  But  farm  lands  in 
those  days,  could  be  had  for  two  dollars  an  acre,  therefore 
the  sale  of  this  land  could  bring  but  a  small  part  of  what  the 
canal  would  cost. 

So,  the  state  was  compelled  to  borrow  millions  for  this 
project.  When  completed,  this  canal  would  accommodate 
only  the  people  who  happened  to  live  along  its  path 
between  La  Salle  and  Chicago.  Now,  Illinois  is  a  big  state, 
and  the  people  in  every  section  of  it  demanded  their  share 
of  these  improvements  so  they  could  get  to  market.  The 
men  whom  they  elected  to  the  Legislature  foolishly  tried 
to  do  it  all  at  once.  Railroads  were  surveyed  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  the  great  task  begun. 

Illinois  Borrows  Heavily.  A  state  can  borrow  money 
by  selling  its  bonds.  Whoever  sells  bonds  agrees  to  pay 
interest  on  them,  and  to  buy  them  back  at  a  certain  time, 
at  their  face  value.  So  the  state  government,  being  unable 
to  raise  enough  money  from  taxes  at  that  time  to  pay 
even  the  ordinary  expenses,  began  to  sell  its  bonds  by  the 
millions,  to  build  the  railroads  and  canals. 

Bonds  Sold,  in  Europe.  Men  were  sent  to  New  York 
and  other  eastern  cities  with  loads  of  state  bonds  to  market. 


174  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

They  kept  putting  the  price  down,  so  that  people  would 
buy  them.  When  this  failed  to  bring  in  enough  money, 
salesmen  were  sent  to  Europe  to  dispose  of  more  bonds,  and 
they  had  to  sell  them  very  cheap  to  get  rid  of  them — a 
hundred-dollar  bond,  for  as  little  as  thirty  dollars. 

Huge  Debt  Piled  up.  The  state  was  soon  saddled  with 
such  a  huge  debt  that  people  at  last  refused  to  buy  her 
bonds  at  any  price,  fearing  that  she  could  never  redeem 
them.  Before  the  people  came  to  their  senses,  they  had 
piled  up  a  debt  of  nearly  fourteen  million  dollars,  and  it 
began  to  look  as  though  the  state  could  not  even  pay  the 
interest  on  this  huge  sum. 

Then  the  bubble  burst;  the  money  ran  out;  and  no 
more  could  be  borrowed,  so  all  work  on  improvements 
had  to  cease.  The  state  was  nearly  ruined;  a  hundred- 
dollar  state  bond  was  worth  but  fourteen  dollars;  and 
people  began  to  talk  of  repudiating  the  whole  debt,  that 
is,  simply  refusing  ever  to  pay  it.  This  would  have  been 
a  great  disgrace  to  our  state,  and  we  are  glad  to  know 
that  it  did  not  happen,  for  Illinois  paid  every  dollar  of 
this  stupendous  obligation. 

Illinois  Fails  in  Business.  After  the  crash  came,  and 
the  state  was  bankrupt,  it  was  found  that  only  twenty- 
five  miles  of  railroad  were  finished — that  between  Mere- 
dosia  and  Jacksonville.  An  engine  was  put  on  this  track, 
but  it  could  not  pay  expenses.  It  was,  therefore,  taken  off, 
and  mule  teams  were  used  to  pull  the  cars  for  a  few  years, 
when  the  road  was  sold  to  a  private  company.  Though  the 
state  had  spent  and  wasted  a  million  in  building  this  short 
road,  it  was  given  away  for  barely  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

The  Canal  Saved.  What  should  the  people  do  now? 
The  rich  prairie  farms  were  almost  worthless  unless  the 
produce  raised  on  them  could  be  got  to  a  market.  The 
people  declared  that  the  canal,  at  least,  should  not  be 


'  I: 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 


YANKEES   IN   NORTHERN    ILLINOIS       177 

given  up.  Chicago  had  donated  thousands  of  dollars 
towards  its  building,  but  this,  too,  had  been  spent.  So, 
for  a  certain  time,  the  canal  was  to  be  turned  over  to  those 
who  had  bought  our  bonds,  provided  they  would  furnish 
the  $160,000  necessary  to  finish  it.  At  last  this  was  done, 
and  the  Illinois-Michigan  canal  was  completed  in  1848. 

Canal  Pays — Results.  It  was  one  hundred  miles  long, 
sixty  feet  wide  at  the  surface,  and  six  feet  deep.  It  had 
cost  in  all  six  and  one  half  million  dollars,  but  it  earned 
enough  in  thirty  years,  together  with  the  money  obtained 
from  land  sales,  to  pay  it  all  back.  General  Thornton  was 
the  first  to  pass  through  the  canal,  and  the  event  was  cele- 
brated along  the  way  by  the  booming  of  cannon,  speeches 
and  enthusiastic  meetings.  This  water  road  brought 
more  business  to  Chicago,  gave  the  farmers  and  mer- 
chants along  its  route  cheap  conveyance  for  their  prod- 
uce and  goods,  and  caused  a  boom  in  real  estate  all  along 
the  line.  Upon  the  arrival  in  Ottawa  of  the  first  barge 
load  of  lumber  from  Chicago,  the  price  dropped  from  sixty 
dollars  a  thousand  feet  to  thirty,  and  it  went  still  lower. 

The  Chicago  to  Cairo  Railroad.  As  early  as  1835, 
Judge  Sidney  Breese  suggested  that  it  would  be  a  fine 
thing  to  build  a  railroad  across  the  state  from  Chicago 
to  Cairo.  During  the  craze  for  improvements,  the  state 
actually  built  a  few  .miles  of  this  line,  as  we  have  seen, 
but  gave  it  up.  Since  Congress  had  donated  so  many 
thousand  acres  of  land  to  Illinois  to  help  her  build  her 
canal,  Breese  and  Douglas,  at  that  time  our  senators, 
urged  that  body  to  give  another  splendid  grant  to  assist 
in  building  this  railroad. 

Another  Generous  Gift.  Year  after  year,  their  bill  was 
defeated  in  one  house  or  the  other,  but  they  kept  bring- 
ing it  before  Congress.  Finally,  in  1850,  Illinois  received 
the  magnificent  donation  of  two  and  one-half  million 


178  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

acres  along  the  route  of  the  proposed  railroad,  to  be  used 
as  the  state  saw  fit  in  helping  to  build  the  road. 

The  Illinois  Central.  Since  the  state  itself  had  made 
such  a  failure  in  building-improvements  a  few  years  before, 
it  was  thought  best  to  turn  this  fine  land  grant  over  to 
some  private  company  which  might  thus  be  induced  to  do 
the  work.  This  was  done,  and  the  Illinois  Central  received 
three  thousand  seven  hundred  acres  of  land  for  every  mile 
of  railroad  it  was  to  build.  The  main  line  from  Cairo  to 
La  Salle,  three  hundred  and  one  miles,  was  completed  in 
1855.  It  was  extended  to  Chicago  the  next  year.  Another 
line  ran  from  La  Salle,  via  Galena,  to  Dunleith. 

What  the  Illinois  Central  Pays  the  State.  In  return 
for  the  land,  the  railroad  was  to  pay  the  state  each  year 
seven  per  cent,  of  its  gross  earnings.  It  is  claimed  that 
Illinois  has  received  from  the  railroad,  during  the  last 
fifty  years,  enough  to  build  all  our  fine  state  institutions, 
including  the  magnificent  state  capitol  at  Springfield. 

The  Illinois  Central  proved  a  great  blessing  to  the 
people  near  it  and  to  Chicago,  which  soon  sprang  to  the 
front  as  the  largest  city  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  The 
prairie  farms  quickly  doubled  in  value.  The  state  has 
now  become  a  net-work  of  railroads  reaching  out  to  the 
farms  and  towns  in  every  corner  of  its  domain.  Today 
one  can  scarcely  find  a  spot  in  all  Illinois  where  he  can  not 
see  the  smoke  or  hear  the  whistle  of  a  locomotive. 

Illinois  Farmers  Need  Pikes.  The  flat  surface  of  most 
of  our  state,  with  the  slow  drainage,  makes  our  wagon 
roads  fearfully  muddy  and  almost  impassable  in  the  wet 
season.  For  years  the  prairie  farmer  has  longed  for  good 
hard  wagon  roads.  But  now,  with  the  coming  of  the 
automobile,  the  cities,  too,  are  urging  the  need  of  limestone 
pikes.  This  is  a  task  to  be  accomplished,  perhaps,  by  the 
boys  and  girls  who  read  this  book. 


YANKEES   IN    NORTHERN    ILLINOIS       179 

TOPICS   FOR  THOUGHT  AND  STUDY 

1.  What,  effect  did  the  early  Indian  wars  have  on  immigration 
to  Illinois? 

2.  Trace  three  routes  by  which  settlers  from  the  Kast  came  to 
this  state. 

3.  Which  in  your  opinion  has  been  of  greater  value  to  the  farmer, 
the  wire  fence  or  the  mowing  machine? 

4.  Write    a    short  history  of  the   construction  of  the   National 
Road. 

5.  Tell  the  story  of  the  Illinois-Michigan  Canal. 

LESSON   HELPS 

The  National  Road.  With  the  tinkling  of  bells,  the  rumbling 
of  the  wheels,  the  noise  of  the  animals  and  the  chatter  of  the  people 
as  they  went  forward,  the  little  boy  who  had  gone  to  the  road  from 
his  lonesome  home  in  the  woods  was  captivated  and  carried  away 
into  the  great  active  world.  But  the  greatest  wonder  and  delight 
of  all  was  the  stage  coach,  radiant  in  new  paint,  and  drawn  by  its 
four  matched  horses  in  their  showy  harness,  and  filled  inside  and  on 
top  with  well  dressed  people.  I  think  yet  that  there  has  never 
been  a  more  graceful  or  handsome  turnout  than  one  of  these  fine  old 
stage  coaches  drawn  by  a  team  of  matched  horses  and  driven  by 
such  drivers  as  used  to  handle  the  ribbons  between  Richmond  and 
Indianapolis.  We  could  hear  the  driver  playing  his  bugle  as  he 
approached  the  little  town,  and  it  all  seemed  too  grand  and  fine  to 
be  other  than  a  dream. 

— B.  S.  PARKER,  in  the  Ohio  Valley  Journal. 

The  Road  Today.  Gradually,  after  the  coming  of  the  railroads, 
the  glory  of  the  National  Road  declined,  until  at  last  it  was  just 
a  common  highway,  lacking  its  stage  coaches,  its  carriers,  its  train 
of  immigrant  wagons.  Once  the  "broad  highway"  of  the  country, 
over  which  passed  rich  and  poor,  the  resplendent  stage  coach,  and 
the  poor  immigrant's  two-wheeled  cart,  it  is  now  but  an  ordinary 
road  over  which  the  farmer  jogs  to  market,  disturbed  now  and 
then  by  the  passing  of  an  automobile,  or  an  electric  trolley  on  the 
track  that  follows  along  by  the  road.  The  glory  and  glamour  of 
its  past  are  gone,  but  we  should  cherish  the  memory  of  these  golden 
days  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  chapters  in  the  annals  of  our 
early  history.  — ROBERT  JUDSON  ALEY. 


CHAPTER  XV 

Shall  the  United  States — the  free  United  States,  which  could  not 
bear  the  bonds  of  a  king — cradle  the  bondage  which  a  king  is  abolish- 
ing? Shall  a  Republic  be  less  free  than  a  Monarchy?  Shall  we,  in  the 
vigor  and  buoyancy  of  our  manhood,  be  less  energetic  in  righteousness 
than  a  kingdom  in  its  age?  — Dr.  Fallen's  Address. 

THE   INTRODUCTION   OF   SLAVES 

The  First  Slaves  in  Illinois.  Slaves  were  first  brought 
into  the  Illinois  country  at  an  early  date.  The  French 
were  hardly  well  settled  in  the  American  Bottom,  when 
one  Philip  Renault  was  employed  by  a  French  company 
to  come  to  Upper  Louisiana,  as  the  Illinois  country  was 
then  called,  and  develop  mines.  He  gathered  two  hun- 
dred miners-and  laborers,  and  set  sail  from  France  in  1719. 

On  his  way  across  the  Atlantic,  Renault  stopped  at 
San  Domingo  and  purchased  five  hundred  black  slaves. 
With  these  he  pushed  on  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi 
and  sailed  slowly  up  this  broad  river,  until  he  finally  landed 
and  established  headquarters  at  a  place  which  he  named 
St.  Philip,  not  far  from  Kaskaskia. 

Renault  immediately  sent  out  parties  in  all  directions 
to  locate  the  gold  and  silver,  which  he  hoped  would  soon 
make  him  and  his  company  immensely  rich.  He  found 
plenty  of  Indians,  buffaloes  and  wild  game,  but  no  gold. 
After  about  twenty  years  spent  in  fruitless  searching, 
he  gave  up  in  discouragement,  sold  his  slaves  to  the  French 
colonists,  and  returned  to  France. 

Slaves  Do  Not  Increase.  .The  number  of  slaves  in  the 
Illinois  country  did  not  increase  very  rapidly,  though  a 

180 


THE    INTRODUCTION    OF    SLAVES         181 

few  more  were  brought  up  from  New  Orleans.  Thirty 
years  after  Renault  came,  a  French  missionary  to  the 
Illinois  Indians  wrote,  "In  the  five  French  villages  there 
are,  perhaps,  eleven  hundred  whites,  three  hundred  blacks, 
and  some  sixty  red  slaves  or  savages." 

Thus  we  learn  that  Indians  as  well  as  negroes  were 
held  in  slavery  here.  A  few  years  later,  1763,  when  France 
gave  the  Illinois  country  to  England,  there  were  nine 
hundred  slaves  counted.  But  many  of  the  French  colonists, 
not  wishing  to  live  under  English  rule,  moved  to  St.  Louis 
or  New  Orleans,  taking  their  slaves  with  them.  This 
reduced  the  number. 

Uncle  Sam  Receives  Illinois  With  Her  Slaves.  While 
England  ruled  over  this  country  northwest  of  the  Ohio, 
she  did  not  interfere  with  slavery,  and  so,  at  the  close 
of  the  Revolution,  the  country  of  Illinois  came  into  the 
hands  of  the  United  States  with  slavery  firmly  established. 

When  Virginia  gave  up  to  Uncle  Sam  her  claims  to 
the  Illinois  country,  1784,  she  did  so  upon  the  condition 
that  tht;  French  inhabitants  of  Kaskaskia  and  neighbor- 
ing villages  be  allowed  to  retain  their  property  and  their 
rights.  The  French  understood  from  this  that  they  might 
continue  to  hold  their  slaves  unmolested,  for,  "surely," 
they  said,  "our  slaves  are  our  property." 

The  Ordinance  of  1787  Forbids  Slavery.  Soon,  how- 
ever, Congress  passed  the  ordinance  of  1787,  which,  among 
other  things,  prohibited  slavery  in  the  Northwest  Terri- 
tory. The  slave  owners  were  much  disturbed,  and  many 
planned  to  move  across  the  Mississippi  into  Spanish 
territory,  but  Governor  St.  Clair  said  he  understood  the 
Ordinance  to  mean  that  no  more  slaves  were  to  be  brought 
into  the  territory,  though  the  people  might  keep  those 
they  already  had.  The  governors  who  succeeded  St.  Clair 
believed  the  same  way,  and  soon  everybody  came  to  accept 


182  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

this  view.  In  this  manner  slavery  continued  in  Illinois 
under  a  law  that  forbade  it. 

Desire  for  More  Slaves.  But  there  were  not  slaves 
enough  in  the  territory  to  go  around.  Many  new  settlers 
were  coming  into  Illinois  from  southern  states  where  they 
had  always  had  slaves.  These  newcomers  thought  they 
had  as  much  right  to  have  slaves  as  the  older  French 
settlers,  and  they  besought  Congress  to  change  the  Ordi- 
nance, so  as  to  allow  other  slaves  to  be  brought  in.  They 
sent  petition  after  petition  to  Congress,  but  no  attention 
was  paid  to  them.  After  the  purchase  of  Louisiana,  while 
Illinois  was  yet  a  part  of  the  Indiana  Territory,  the  slave 
holders  begged  to  have  Illinois  set  off  from  Indiana  and 
joined  to  Louisiana,  so  as  to  make  it  slave  soil.  When 
Congress  refused  to  do  this,  the  slave  holders  hatched  a 
scheme  to  evade  the  law,  for  they  were  determined,  by 
hook  or  crook,  to  have  negro  servants  to  do  their  work. 

Plan  to  Evade  the  Law.  They  remembered  how  in 
early  Virginia  days,  white  immigrants  had  been  bound  out 
for  a  term  of  years  to  pay  for  their  fares  across  the  Atlantic. 
They  were  called  indentured  servants.  Southern  immigrants 
to  Illinois  hit  upon  this  plan  to  secure  slaves  in  the  territory. 
Negroes  were  brought  in  freely  and  bound  out  to  service,  until 
everybody  who  could  afford  them  had  these  black  servants. 

In  order  that  this  kind  of  slavery  might  appear  lawful, 
the  people  had  their  Territorial  Assembly  pass  a  number 
of  laws,  fixing  the  term  of  service,  and  the  rights  and 
duties  of  masters.  These  laws,  passed  in  1805  and  1807, 
came  to  be  called  the  "Black  Laws." 

"The  Black  Laws."  Under  these  laws  'all  male  negroes, 
under  fifteen  years  of  age,  must  serve  till  thirty-five  years 
of  age;  women  till  thirty-two.  Children  born  to  persons 
of  color  during  the  period  of  service  could  be  bound  out, 
the  boys  for  thirty  years,  and  the  girls  for  twenty-eight." 


GREENE  ERV      J 


L_ 

NDOUPR     I  ^^^^S 

T. IFRAN"  :U-TON 

XJACK-I     Un4     ;    ',..,  .<s 

ilSOWl  JGALUT.N/ 


FREE  AND   SLAVE  COUNTIES  IN   1824 
(Shaded  Parts  Indicate  Slave  Counties) 


184  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  names  of  these  servants  had  to  be  registered  with 
the  County  Clerk'  where  they  lived.  Ninian  Edwards, 
the  first  Governor  of  Illinois,  entered  his  servants  as  follows: 

"Rose,   twenty-three  years  of  age, — for  thirty-five  years: 
Anthony,  forty  years  old, — for  fifteen  years: 
Maria,  fifteen  years  of  age, — for  forty-five  years: 
Jesse,  twenty-five  years  of  age, — for  thirty-five  years  of  service." 

Many  masters  paid  no  attention  whatever  to  the  law, 
and  registered  servants  for  as  long  as  they  wished.  In 
Madison  County  records  is  the  following: 

"1817,  November  6, — Peter,  aged  seventeen, — bound 
to  serve  ninety-nine  years." 

No  one  took  the  trouble  to  prosecute  these  law  breakers, 
because  so  many  were  guilty.  Besides,  those  were  free  and 
easy  days,  settlements  were  scattered,  and  laws  hard  to 
enforce.  Thus  we  see  that  slavery  went  on  in  southern 
Illinois  about  the  same  as  in  a  southern  slave  state. 

Illinois  a  Slave  or  Free  State.  During  the  early  days 
not  much  had  been  said  as  to  whether  it  was  right  or 
wrong  to  enslave  negroes,  "to  eat  one's  bread  in  the  sweat 
of  another's  brow,"  as  Lincoln  said.  But  now  that  the 
people  wished  to  make  a  state  of  their  territory,  they  began 
taking  sides  on  the  slavery  question.  Some  wished  to 
make  Illinois  an  open  slave  state.  Others  were  convinced 
that  slavery  was  a  moral  evil,  and  that  it  would  hinder  the 
growth  and  settlement  of  their  state.  A  third  party  wished 
to  continue  the  "indenture  system,"  because  they  feared 
that  Congress  would  not  admit  Illinois  with  a  slave  con- 
stitution, and  it  would  be  better  to  compromise  than  to 
lose  all.  Besides,  they  felt  that  indentured  servants  were 
almost  as  satisfactory  as  slaves.  There  was  indeed  little 
difference.  This  last  party  finally  won  in  the  Constitutional 
Convention  at  Kaskaskia.  in  1818,  and  Congress  accepted 


THE   INTRODUCTION   OF   SLAVES          185 

the  Illinois  constitution  with  the  "indenture  system," 
and  made  the  territory  a  state. 

The  New  Constitution  and  the  Slave.  The  new  state 
constitution  made  no  change  in  the  term  of  servants  already 
indentured.  All  these  unfortunate  blacks  must  serve  their 
terms,  however  long.  -But  children  of  indentured  servants 
were  to  become  free,  boys  at  twenty-one,  girls  at  eighteen. 
No  new  indenture  contracts  could  be  made  for  more  than  one 
year,  and  even  then  the  servant's  consent  must  be  obtained. 

To  have  the  legal  terms  reduced  from  thirty-five  years 
to  one  year  seemed  a  long  step  toward  freedom  for  the  poor 
slaves,  but  it  did  not  work  out  that  way,  for  masters  usually 
forced  their  ignorant  negroes  to  renew  their  contracts  year 
after  year.  And  so  little  relief  came  to  negro  servants  by 
the  change  from  territorial  to  state  government.  However, 
the  number  of  blacks  brought  in  from  the  South  grad- 
ually decreased. 

Demand  for  a  Slave  Constitution  in  Illinois.  When  the 
question  of  admitting  Missouri  as  a  slave  or  free  state 
came  up  in  Congress,  Daniel  P.  Cook,  the  able  representa- 
tive from  Illinois,  made  bold  attacks  on  slavery,  and 
many  Illinois  people  at  home  took  a  lively  interest  in  the 
Missouri  contest,  throwing  their  influence  against  slavery. 
This,  of  course,  angered  the  Missouri  slave  holders,  who 
resolved  to  retaliate  by  stirring  up  trouble  in  Illinois, 
and  thus  to  give  the  anti-slavery  people  of  Illinois  enough 
to  do  at  home.  So  they  persuaded  the  pro-slavery  ele- 
ment in  Illinois  to  demand  a  change  in  their  constitution 
so  as  to  make  slavery  legal. 

Now,  the  only  way  to  change  the  Illinois  Constitution 
was  for  the  Legislature  to  pass  a  resolution  favoring  a 
convention  and  then  submit  this  resolution  to  the  people. 
If  a  majority  of  them  favored  it,  a  convention  would  be 
called  to  consider  the  proposed  changes. 


186  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

Slave  Holders  Confident.  The  pro-slavery  people  felt 
certain  that  they  could  control  the  convention  to  their 
liking,  provided  the  Legislature  would  only  start  the  move- 
ment by  passing  a  resolution,  and  provided  also,  that  the 
people  voted  in  favor  of  a  convention  at  an  election  held 
for  that  purpose.  So  secret  plans  were  made  to  bring  about 
a  convention  and  fasten  slavery  upon  Illinois  forever.  These 
plans,  however,  were  disclosed  and  spread  broadcast.  This 
made  such  a  stir  that  the  attempt  was  postponed  a  few 
years. 

Immigrants  to  Missouri  Stir  Up  Slavery.  In  the  mean- 
time Missouri,  a  slave  state,  had  been  set  up  along  the 
western  border  of  Illinois,  and  wealthy  emigrants  were 
passing  through  Illinois  with  their  flocks  and  slaves.  They 
refused  to  stop  in  Illinois  because  it  was  not  open  to  slavery. 
Even  the  poor  emigrant  from  the  South  with  his  worn-out 
old  horse  and  broken  down  wagon,  who  had  never  owned  a 
slave,  likewise  refused  to  make  the  Prairie  State  his  home, 
for  the  same  reason.  One  of  those  who  did  not  own  enough 
"plunder  to  buy  a  cat,"  on  being  asked  why  he  did  not  stop 
in  Illinois,  replied,  "Well,  sir,  your  sile  is  mighty  fertile, 
but  a  man  can't  own  niggers  here,  gol  durn  you!"  The 
pro-slavery  men  in  Illinois  used  this  as  an  argument  to 
prove  that  slavery  would  be  a  good  thing  for  the  state,  as 
it  would  attract  new  settlers.  So  they  began  to  push  their 
plans  to  change  the  state  constitution. 

The  Slave  Holders  Start  the  Fight.  The  time  seemed 
ripe  in  1822,  when  it  became  necessary  to  elect  a  new  Gov- 
ernor, a  Representative  to  Congress,  and  also  members  to 
the  state  Legislature.  The  contest  for  Governor  was  won 
by  Edward  Coles,  an  opponent  of  slavery,  who  had  emi- 
grated from  Virginia  some  years  before.  He  had  brought 
his  slaves  with  him  and  had  set  them  free.  Cook,  also  an 
opponent  of  slavery,  as  we  have  seen,  was  reflected  to 


THE   INTRODUCTION   OF   SLAVES          187 

Congress,  but  the  supporters  of  slavery  elected  a  majority 
to  the  Legislature. 

Governor  Coles  Urges  the  Negro's  Rights.  As  soon 
as  he  was  inaugurated,  Governor  Coles  set  about  improv- 
ing the  condition  of  the  negro.  He  recommended  the  repeal 
of  the  infamous  "Black  Laws,"  and  asked  the  Legislature 
for  a  severe  law  to  punish  the  kidnaping  of  free  negroes. 
But  the  Legislature  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his  appeals. 

It  soon  appeared  that  the  pro-slavery  legislators  were 
bent  upon  passing  the  resolution  for  a  constitutional  con- 
vention. It  was  introduced  in  the  Senate,  and  passed  by 
that  body.  But  when  it  came  to  be  voted  on  in  the  House, 
it  was  defeated  by  two  votes.  There  was  much  excitement, 
and  a  determined  effort  was  made  to  win  over  two  votes 
and  reconsider  the  question.  The  pro-slavery  men  adopted 
the  motto,"  The  Convention  or  Death."  They  hesitated 
at  no  means  that  might  win  the  two  votes.  Slave  holders 
from  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Missouri  were  present  in 
.the  corridors  stimulating  sentiment  in  favor  of  slavery. 

Two  Votes  Won  and  One  Lost.  News  of  the  contest 
spread  like  wildfire  over  the  state,  and  soon  a  flood  of  let- 
ters poured  in  upon  the  members,  some  favoring,  others 
opposing  the  resolution.  At  last  Mr.  Rattan,  of  Green 
County,  announced  that  the  sentiment  in  his  county  was 
in  favor  of  the  convention  and  that  he  would  change  his 
vote  accordingly.  Likewise  Mr.  McFatridge,  of  Johnson 
County,  was  won  over  by  the  promise  to  change  the  county 
seat  in  his  county. 

The  pro-slavery  men  now  thought  there  could  be  no 
hitch,  so  they  brought  the  resolution  to  a  vote  again. 
When  the  result  was  announced  they  were  dumfounded, 
for  the  resolution  was  again  lost  by  but  one  vote.  Their 
anger  knew  no  bounds  when  they  discovered  that  Repre- 
sentative Hansen,  of  Pike  County,  had,  at  the  last  minute, 


188  THE  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

changed  sides  and  voted  against  them.  While  a  few  weeks 
before  the  House  had  decided  unanimously  that  Hansen 
was  fairly  elected  to  his  seat,  the  pro-slavery  members 
were  now  bound  to  reverse  that  vote,  take  his  office  from 
him  and  give  it  to  his  opponent.  This  they  could  do  by  a 
mere  majority  vote. 

How  the  Slave  Owners  Won.  That  night  excitement 
ran  high.  Men  and  boys  burned  Hansen  in  effigy;  they 
marched  through  the  city,  blowing  horns,  beating  drums 
and  tin  pans,  shouting  "The  Convention  or  Death";  they 
went  to  the  homes  of  Governor  Coles  and  the  friends 
of  freedom  and  gave  cat-calls,  followed  by  three  groans 
for  Hansen  and  three  cheers  for  the  convention.  The 
next  day  a  vote  was  hurriedly  taken,  by  which  they 
unseated  Hansen  and  gave  his  place  in  the  House  to  his 
opponent,  whom  they  had  unanimously  declared  a  few 
weeks  before  had  no  right  whatever  to  it.  Hansen's 
opponent,  of  course,  had  promised  to  vote  with  them. 
The  resolution  was  then  taken  up  for  the  third  time,  and 
passed. 

The  Resolution  and  the  People.  Great  was  the  rejoic- 
ing of  the  slavery  advocates.  The  victory  was  celebrated 
by  a  noisy  torch-light  procession,  with  beating  of  drums 
and  great  shouting,  with  cheers  and  groans.  But  their 
high-handed  behavior  soon  acted  as  a  boomerang.  The 
news  spread  quickly  over  the  state,  and  the  infamous  and 
unjust  way  in  which  they  had  ousted  Hansen  turned  many 
against  the  convention. 

Now  at  last  the  people  were  to  vote  on  the  question 
of  calling  the  convention,  and  both  sides  girded  themselves 
for  the  battle.  Open  slavery  in  Illinois  was  hanging  in  the 
balance.  The  result  of  the  election  would  decide  whether 
the  Prairie  State  should  become  slave  soil  or  continue  to  be 
numbered  among  the  free  states. 


THE   INTRODUCTION   OF   SLAVER         189 

Newspapers  Take  Sides.  At  first  the  pro-slavery  side 
seemed  to  he  gaining  in  influence  and  confidence.  News- 
papers of  the  South  took  up  their  cause,  and  likewise 
the  St.  Louis  papers,  which  had  a  considerable  circulation 
in  Illinois.  Besides,  four  out  of  the  five  newspapers  then 
published  within  the  state  favored  slavery.  For  a  while 
the  pro-slavery  advocates  denied  that  the  purpose  of 
calling  a  convention  was  in  order  to  fasten  slavery  upon 
the  state.  But,  it  was  all  too  evident,  and  they  soon  boldly 
admitted  it. 

The  Convention  and  Freedom.  The  anti-slavery  forces 
were  not  without  strong  supporters.  They  adopted  the 
battle  cry,  "No  Convention  and  Freedom,"  and  set  about 
the  task  of  arousing  the  people  to  the  dangers  threaten- 
ing their  free  state.  A  large  number  of  ministers  and 
many  influential  writers  espoused  their  cause.  Governor 
Coles  gave  his  entire  salary  to  fight  the  call  for  the  con- 
vention. 

The  People  Vote  the  Resolution  Down.  The  resolution 
passed  the  Legislature  in  February,  while  the  election  was 
not  to  occur  till  a  year  from  the  following  August.  So, 
there  was  plenty  of  time  for  working  the  people  into 
a  fever  heat.  As  the  election  day  approached,  every  citizen 
took  part  in  the  struggle.  Neighbors  wrangled  and  even 
resorted  to  blows.  The  topic  was  debated  from  every 
platform  and  pulpit.  Families  became  divided,  and  com- 
merce almost  ceased  till  the  burning  question  could  be 
settled.  At  last  the  fateful  second  of  August  (1824)  came. 
It  was  a  day  of  excitement  and  controversy.  When  night 
put  an  end  to  the  struggle,  it  was  found  that  the  friends 
of  freedom  had  won  and  the  convention  call  had  been 
defeated  by  1,668  votes. 

The  Result  of  the  Fight.  The  result  of  that  day's 
battle  was  far-reaching.  It  decided  that  Illinois  was  to 


190  THE    STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

remain  permanently  among  the  free  states.  For  this 
reason,  emigrants  ceased  to  come  into  the  state  from  the 
South,  because  they  saw  that  the  great  battle  for  slavery 
in  Illinois  had  been  fought  and  lost.  On  the  other  hand, 
pioneers  from  the  North  and  East  flocked  in  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  free,  fertile  prairies. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  By  what  means  and  for  what  purpose  were  slaves  first  brought, 
to  Illinois? 

2.  What  conditions  made  slave  labor  more  profitable  to  their 
owners  in  the  South  than  in  Illinois? 

•3.  What  were  some  of  the  features  of  the  "Black  Laws"? 

4.  Give  the  story  of  the  conflict  between  the  anti-slavery  and 
pro-slavery  advocates  in  Illinois. 

5.  Is  there  any  phase  of  labor  in  the  great  cities  today  that  is 
more  objectionable  than  slavery  as  practiced  in  Illinois  in  1842? 

LESSON   HELPS 

A  Slave  in  Illinois.  No  matter  under  what  name  the  farmers 
held  their  negroes — whether  as  "servants,"  "yellow  boys,"  or  "yel- 
low girls" — the  fact  still  remained  that  slavery  existed  in  the  Terri- 
tory of  Illinois  as  completely  as  in  any  of  the  Southern  States. 
It  was  not  limited  to  the  settlements  and  towns  along  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  rivers,  but  was  practiced  all  over  the  southern  portion 
of  what  is  now  the  State  of  Illinois.  — RUFUS  BLANCHARD. 

A  Man  for  Sale.  On  Monday  morning  at  ten  o'clock,  Sheriff 
Lowe  will  sell  at  or  near  the  jail,  to  the  highest  bidder,  Edwin  Heath- 
cock,  now  confined  for  being  free,  to  pay  the  legal  expenses  for  hold- 
ing him  on  suspicion  of  being  a  slave.  The  solid  men  of  Chicago 
are  requested  to  be  present  and  witness  the  first  man-sale  in  our 
county.  — Poster  distributed  in  Chicago. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

History  of  Negro  Servitude  in  Illinois.     Harris. 
Slavery    in    the    Border   States.     Eliott. 
Beacon  Lights  of  History.     Lord. 
History  of  Illinois.     Ford. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

He's  true  to  God  who's  true  to  man,  wherever  wrong  is  done, 
To  the  humblest  and  the  weakest,  'neath  the  all-beholding  sun. 
That  wrong  is  also  done  to  us;  and  they  are  slaves  most  base, 
Whose  love  of  right  is  for  themselves,  and  not  for  all  the  race. 

— JAMES  RUSSELL  LOWELL. 


THE   DECLINE   OF   SLAVERY 

Slavery  Goes  On  as  Before.  While  the  people  of 
Illinois  fought  desperately  to  prevent  their  soil  from  becom- 
ing open  slave  territory,  they  were  not  yet  ready  to  stamp 
it  out  altogether.  As  soon  as  they  had  defeated  the  call  for 
a  convention  they  allowed  the  subject  to  drop.  Everybody 
seemed  anxious  to  forget  about  the  bitter  struggle.  No 
attempt  whatever  was  made  to  do  away  with  indentured 
servitude.  Slavery  went  on  as  before,  and  the  "Black 
Laws"  remained  in  force. 

How  Slaves  Were  Treated.  Indentured  negroes  were 
whipped  for  laziness  or  misbehavior.  When  not  needed 
at  home,  they  were  often  rented  out.  A  year's  service 
was  worth  about  one  hundred  dollars.  They  were  fre- 
quently sold  at  auction,  just  as  in  the  cotton  states, 
except  that  in  Illinois  the  slave's  consent  had  first  to  be 
obtained.  But  this  served  as  no  check,  because  if  the 
servant  refused  his  consent,  his  treatment  became  so  harsh 
that  he  was  glad  to  exchange  masters.  The  price  of  a 
black  boy  or  girl  was  from  three  hundred  to  six  hundred 
dollars,  according  to  size,  health,  and  the  length  of  the  term 
of  servitude. 

191 


192  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  newspapers  of  those  days  contained  many  adver- 
tisements offering  servants  for  sale,  along  with  horses  and 
cattle.  The  following  appeared  in  the  Kaskaskia  Repub- 
lican, May  2,  1842: 


EXECUTOR'S  SALE 


ANTOINE  B ARBE A U— Executor 

Offers  For  Sale  the  Estate  of  the  Late   Marie  L. 
Blais,  to  wit: 

One  mulatto  woman,  28  years. 
One  mulatto  man,  21  years. 
Two  mulatto  girls,  10  and  8  years. 
One  mulatto  boy,  5  years. 

Also  Hogs,    Horses,   Cattle  and  Sheep;   Household 
Furniture  and  Farming  Tools. 


Negroes  were  also  bequeathed  by  will.  One  Benjamin 
Kuykendall  willed  to  Polly  Gatten  his  negro  boy,  David, 
"to  have  and  to  hold  as  her  own  property,  from  this  time 
forth  and  forever." 

New  Laws  Tighten  the  Shackles.  Some  new  laws  were 
even  enacted  which  made  it  almost  impossible  for  a  slave 
to  get  his  freedom.  He  was  forbidden  to  act  as  a  witness 
in  court  against  any  white  person.  What  hope  was  there 
for  him  to  get  justice  when  he  could  not  even  testify  to  the 
truth?  Every  law  seemed  designed  to  tighten  the  shackles 
of  the  slave. 


THE   DECLINE   OF   SLAVERY  193 

The  Lot  of  the  Free  Negroes.  But  the  lot  of  the  free 
negroes  in  Illinois  was  a  hard  one.  They  were  looked 
upon  as  a  necessary  evil.  They  had  neither  the  protection 
of  the  laws  nor  the  right  to  vote,  and  of  course  no  chance 
to  get  an  education.  Public  sentiment  did  not  permit 
them  to  own  property.  Colored  persons  found  within  the 
state  without  freedom  papers  could  be  arrested  and  sold 
at  auction  by  the  sheriff  for  one  year's  service.  , 

The  Negroes  Kidnaped.  There  grew  up  also  the  evil 
practice  of  kidnaping  free  negroes  and  carrying  them 
back  to  the  cotton  states  to  be  sold  to  the  highest  bidder. 
Severe  laws  were  made  in  Illinois  to  stop  this  infamous 
business.  Kidnapers  were  to  be  put  in  the  pillory,  to 
receive  from  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  lashes,  and  to  be 
fined  one  thousand  dollars.  But  the  law  was  not  enforced, 
and  kidnaping  increased  and  became  very  profitable. 
Young  negroes  brought  good  prices.  It  was  easy  to  make  a 
hundred  dollars  or  more,  apiece. 

How  This  Evil  Business  Was  Managed.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  kidnaping  negroes,  two  or  three  persons  usually 
worked  together.  One  stationed  himself  at  a  border  town 
like  St.  Louis,  and  advertised  himself  as  a  slave  merchant. 
He  planned  the  measures  and  means  of  getting  away  with 
whatever  prey  was  turned  over  to  him.  The  others  scoured 
the  country  looking  for  free  negroes.  They  used  various 
inducements  to  get  the  negro  to  the  border  town.  Any  kind 
of  promise  or  threat  was  used  to  entice  the  negro  on  board 
a  boat  or  wagon,  and  then  under  cover  of  darkness,  all 
haste  was  made  to  get  out  of  the  county  before  the  sheriff 
could  overtake  them.  Once  out  of  the  county,  they  were 
among  strangers  and  proceeded  without  being  suspected. 
At  the  border  town  the  blacks  were  smuggled  aboard  a 
Mississippi  steamer  bound  for  the  slave  marts  at  Memphis 
or  New  Orleans,  and  were  heard  of  no  more. 


194  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

"On  the  night  of  May  25,  1823,  a  free  colored  man, 
named  Jackson  Butler,  his  wife,  and  six  children,  residing 
in  Illinois,  a  few  miles  from  Vincennes,  were  kidnaped 
by  a  band  of  raiders  from  Lawrence  County  in  this  state. 
Butler  had  belonged  to  General  Harrison  in  Kentucky, 
had  been  brought  to  Indiana,  had  been  indentured,  and 
had  faithfully  worked  out  his  term  of  service.  His  wife 
was  born  free,  which  rendered  his  children  also  free.  They 
were  taken  down  the  Wabash  to  the  Ohio,  and  from  there 
disappeared  farther  south.  Harrison,  learning  of  the  out- 
rage, at  once  offered  a  large  reward  for  the  capture  of  the 
perpetrators.  His  name  gave  the  matter  wide  publicity, 
and  the  Butlers  were  rescued  at  New  Orleans,  just  as  they 
were  about  to  be  shipped  to  Cuba."  Hundreds  of  free  negroes 
were  thus  kidnaped,  and  dragged  back  into  hopeless 
life-long  servitude. 

Slaves  Decrease.  After  the  fight  of  1824  to  make 
Illinois  a  slave  state  was  lost,  the  number  of  slaves  gradu- 
ally decreased,  until  1830,  there  were  only  seven  hundred 
forty-six.  They  ceased  to  be  brought  in  from  the  outside. 
And  of  those  already  in  Illinois,  some  died  of  old  age, 
and  some  of  disease.  Some  worked  out  their  contract  time 
and  were  given  freedom  papers.  Still  others  were  taken  by 
their  masters  to  other  states.  Occasionally  some  good  man 
gave  his  slaves  their  freedom,  because  his  conscience  told 
him  it  was  right  to  do  so.  This  did  not  happen  very  often, 
because  slaves  were  valuable,  and  could  be  sold  for  several 
hundred  dollars  each.  One  master  gave  his  slave  his  free- 
dom because  "he  has  compensated  me  by  his  labor  and 
money  for  the  amount  I  paid  for  him,  viz.,  $825." 

St.  Glair's  Opinion  of  the  Ordinance.  It  is  difficult  to 
understand  why  slavery  continued  in  Illinois  for  half  a 
century  after  it  had  been  clearly  forbidden  by  the  Ordi- 
nance of  1787,  The  people  of  the  territory  were,  of  course, 


THE   DECLINE   OF   SLAVERY  195 

preparing  to  obey  the  law  as  they  would  any  other.  Those 
who  were  determined  to  keep  their  slaves  were  getting 
ready  to  move  to  New  Orleans  or  across  the  Mississippi, 
when  Governor  St.  Clair  declared  that  the  law  forbade 
bringing  in  any  more  slaves,  but  that  it  did  not  affect  those 
already  here.  This  view  pleased  the  people,  who  were 
chiefly  immigrants  from  the  slave  states.  So  they  decided 
to  remain  and  to  continue  to  hold  their  slaves  until  ordered 
to  do  otherwise. 

Who  Decides  What  a  Law  Means.  Now  a  governor's 
opinion  of  what  a  law  means  is  no  more  binding  than 
that  of  a  private  citizen.  In  our  government,  only  a  judge, 
sitting  on  the  bench,  has  a  right  to  interpret  a  law,  and  even 
he  must  wait  until  a  case  comes  before  him  which  brings 
that  particular  law  into  dispute.  Strange  to  say,  for  thirty 
years,  neither  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois  nor  the  United 
States  Supreme  Court  had  a  chance  to  decide  whether  or 
not  it  was  lawful  for  slavery  to  go  on  in  Illinois. 

Why  Slaves  Did  Not  Appeal  to  the  Courts.  There 
were  several  reasons  for  this.  In  the  first  place  the  slaves 
were  ignorant  of  how  to  proceed  to  test  the  law,  and  no 
one  wanted  to  assist  them.  Then,  too,  the  slaves  were  very 
poor,  and  we  all  know  it  costs  a  great  deal  to  go  to  law. 
Lawyers  must  be  employed,  witnesses  paid,  and  there  are 
other  costs  in  a  law-suit  that  either  party  may  have  to  pay. 
Sentiment  throughout  southern  Illinois  was  so  strongly 
pro-slavery  that  it  was  even  unsafe  to  express  views  opposed 
to  it.  The  laws  were  so  written  that  the  negro  could  not 
protect  himself,  and  few  whites  had  the  courage  to  espouse 
his  cause  and  face  the  unpopularity  and  persecution  that 
were  sure  to  be  encountered.  In  some  cases  lawyers  who 
tried  to  help  the  negroes  were  shamefully  treated. 

Northern  Illinois  for  Freedom.  But  northern  Illinois 
was  rapidly  filling  up  with  Yankees,  as  we  have  seen,  and 


196  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

the  sentiment  here  was  strongly  opposed  to  slavery.  Even 
among  the  slave  counties  of  southern  Illinois,  friends  of 
the  negro  were  beginning  to  speak  out  boldly.  They  helped 
the  slave  to  get  his  case  before  the  courts.  For  a  time,  the 
j  udges  who  had  been  elected  by  the  pro-slavery  men,  dodged 
the  real  question,  or  simply  decided  the  cases  against  the 
negro,  because  they  thought  most  people  would  gladly 
uphold  them  in  that  decision. 

Gradually,  however,  anti-slavery  men  increased  in 
number  and  influence.  Lawyers  began  to  plead  the  negro's 
case  so  powerfully  in  the  courts  that  judges  were  forced  to 
give  justice  to  the  slave.  Some  of  these  friends  of  the  negro 
were  at  last  elected  to  the  bench,  and  then  decisions 
multiplied  in  behalf  of  freedom. 

Slaves  Gradually  Freed.  In  1836  the  court  declared 
that  children  of  registered  servants  were  free.  In  1845 
two  great  decisions  of  the  Illinois  Supreme  Court  unloosed 
the  shackles  of  the  slave  in  this  state  and  set  him 
free;  one,  in  effect,  declared  that  indentured  servitude 
was  illegal,  and  the  other  freed  the  descendants  of  the 
slaves  of  the  old  French  settlers  born  after  1787.  Other 
decisions  followed,  but  the  infamous  "Black  Laws"  were 
left  on  the  statute  book  until  1865,  when  they  were 
at  last  repealed. 

The  number  of  slaves  decreased  from  about  seven 
hundred  in  1830,  to  less  than  three  hundred  in  1840.  When 
the  great  decrees  of  1845  came,  most  holders  of  servants 
and  slaves  at  once  gave  them  their  liberty. 

Now  that  we  have  followed  the  story  of  how  Illinois 
shook  off  the  curse  of  slavery  from  her  own  soil,  it  remains 
only  to  notice  what  an  active  part  her  people  took  in  stamp- 
ing it  out  from  the  rest  of  the  Union. 


THE  DECLINE  OF  SLAVERY  197 

TOPICS   FOR  THOUGHT  AND  STUDY 

1.  Compare  the  life  of  a  free  negro  in  Illinois,  in  1840,  with  that 
of  one  held  in  slavery  under  a  good  master. 

2.  Find   from   the   dictionary   the   origin   of  the   word   kidnap, 
and  explain  how  it  came  to  include  the  stealing  of  slaves. 

3.  What  influences  tended  to  diminish  the  numbers  of  negroes 
held  in  slavery  in  Illinois? 

4.  Why  did  not  the  slaves  take  advantage  of  the  "Black  Laws" 
and  other  laws  passed  for  their  protection? 

5.  Consult    the    map,    "Sources    of    Settlers    in    the  Northwest 
Territory,"  in  this  book,  and  see  if  you  can  decide  what  portion  of 
Illinois  was  most  strongly  opposed  to  slavery. 

LESSON   HELPS 

Uncle  Tom's  Cabin.  One  of  the  most  powerful  agencies  in  shap- 
ing the  political  conscience  at  the  North  during  the  decade  preced- 
ing the  war  was  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,"  by  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe. 
This  novel  can  not  be  named  among  the  greatest  works  of  genius. 
The  narrative  shows  much  bias  in  the  writer,  and  she  is  often  unfair 
to  the  South;  but  as  a  series  of  pictures  of  slave  life,  colored  with 
a  profound  human  sympathy,  the  book  attracted  and  held  the  atten- 
tion of  the  readers  of  every  class.  It  sprung  into  immediate  popu- 
larity; three  hundred  thousand  copies  were  sold  within  the  first 
year  after  publication;  the  sales  soon  exceeded  a  million;  the  book 
spread  over  England  and  her  colonies,  and  was  translated  into 
twenty  different  languages.  The  political  effect  of  the  novel  did  not 
appear  at  first,  but  it  eventually  became  an  important  agent  in  the 
world  of  politics.  The  story  appealed  particularly  to  the  young, 
and  thousands  of  the  boys  who  in  the  "fifties"  laughed  at  Topsy, 
loved  little  Eva,  and  wept  over  the  fate  of  Uncle  Tom,  and  became 
enraged  at  the  brutal  Lagree,  were  voters  in  1860;  and  their  votes, 
as  determined  by  that  book,  which  led  them  to  believe  that  slavery 
was  wrong,  became  a  powerful  element  in  effecting  the  political 
revolution  of  that  year.  — HENRY  WILLIAM  ELSON. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

History  of  Negro  Servitude  in  Illinois.     Harris. 
The  Black  Laws  of  Illinois.     Jones. 
Beacon  Lights  of  History.     Lord. 
Narration  of  Riots  at  Alton.     Beecher. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

We  are  the  richer  for  valor  displayed  alike  by  those  who  fought 
so  valiantly  for  the  right,  and  by  those  who,  no  less  valiantly,  fought 
for  what  they  deemed  the  right. 

— American  Ideals — THEODORE  ROOSEVELT. 


\r 


LOVEJOY  AND  THE  ABOLITIONISTS 


Opposition  to  Slavery.  Since  the  days  of  the  Revo- 
lution, there  had  been  in  both  the  North  and  South  men 
who  were  opposed  to  slavery.  They  believed  that  it  was 
not  only  wrong  but  that  it  stood  in  the  way  of  progress. 
Washington,  Jefferson  and  Madison  were  all  slave  holders, 
yet  they  were  opposed  to  slavery.  They  hoped  that  it 
would  decline  and  gradually  disappear  from  American 
soil.  Jefferson  said:  "I  tremble  for  my  country  when 
I  remember  that  God  is  just." 

The  Cotton  Gin.  Most  northern  states  had  freed  their 
slaves  prior  to  the  Revolution,  and  it  was  hoped  that  the 
South  would  sooner  or  later  do  the  same.  But  the  cotton 
gin,  invented  by  Whitney  (1793),  made  cotton  raising 
immensely  profitable  in  the  South,  and  negroes  were 
wanted  in  large  numbers  to  hoe  and  pick  this  crop.  Plan- 
tation owners  were  becoming  wealthy,  and  were  naturally 
unwilling  to  part  with  their  slaves. 

Northern  people  came  to  see  that  the  South  could  net 
be  trusted  to  abolish  slavery,  so  certain  conscientious  men 
of  the  North  began  to  fight  for  the  freedom  of  the  slaves. 

The  North  Divided  on  Slavery.  There  were  all  shades 
of  opinion  among  the  people  who  opposed  slavery.  The 
great  body  of  northerners  were  in  favor  of  merely  hedging 

198 


LOVEJOY  AND   THE   ABOLITIONISTS       199 

it  about  in  the  fifteen  states  where  it  existed,  and  thus  pro- 
venting  it  from  spreading  into  the  other  states  and  terri- 
tories. A  few  people  believed  that  it  should  be  blotted 
out  from  the  slaves  states  even,  but  they  would  do  it  grad- 
ually, so  as  to  work  as  little  harm  as  possible  to  the  slave 
owners.  They  believed  that  if  the  slave  holders  could  be 
brought  to  see  how  great  a  sin  slavery  was,  they  would 
willingly  set  the  blacks  free. 

Abolitionists.  Still  a  handful  of  others  would  abolish 
servitude  everywhere  in  the  Union,  and  would  do  it  imme- 
diately, by  force,  if  necessary,  regardless  of  who  would 
suffer,  or  what  the  consequences  might  be.  This  class  came 
to  be  called  in  the  South  the  "Black  Abolitionists."  William 
Lloyd  Garrison  was  the  leader  of  this  party. 

Garrison  founded  the  "Liberator,"  published  in  Boston 
in  1831,  and  in  this  paper  he  denounced  slavery  with  great 
power  and  severity,  demanding  "immediate  emancipation." 
He  said  that  the  constitution  which  permitted  this  great 
evil  was  a  "covenant  with  death  and  an  agreement  with 
hell."  At  an  open-air  celebration  of  Abolitionists  in 
Massachusetts,  he  burned  a  copy  of  the  United  States 
Constitution.  He  would  break  up  the  Union,  he  said, 
if  slavery  could  not  be  destroyed  in  any  other  way,  for  he 
would  have  no  union  with  slave  holders.  His  bitter  words 
were  sent  everywhere  through  the  columns  of  the  "Liber- 
ator," and  they  gave  great  strength  to  the  Abolition 
movement.  In  1835  there  were  in  the  North,  two  hundred 
abolition  societies,  five  years  later  the  number  had  grown 
to  two  thousand.  For  a  long  time  the  Abolitionists  stood 
for  a  despised  cause.  Sometimes  they  could  not  even  get  a 
hall  in  which  to  hold  their  meetings,  and  were  obliged 
to  meet  secretly  in  stable  lofts. 

Attempts  to  Silence  Abolitionists.  There  was  opposi- 
tion to  the  Abolitionist  doctrine  throughout  the  country. 


200  THE   STORY    OF   ILLINOIS 

The  South  was  violent  with  anger.  In  the  North,  too,  men 
who  were  opposed  to  slavery  regarded  "immediate  eman- 
cipation" as  dangerous  doctrine.  They  feared  that  it  would 
stir  up  bitter  strife  between  the  North  and  the  South, 
break  up  the  Union,  and  do  much  more  harm  than  good 
to  the  negro  cause.  Attempts  were  made  in  almost  all  of 
the  northern  states  to  silence  the  Abolitionists.  Their 
meetings  were  often  broken  up,  and  Garrison  was  mobbed. 
Elijah  Lovejoy  became  a  martyr  to  liberty  in  our  own 
state. 

Lovejoy's  Early  Life.  To  be  the  eldest  son  of  a  New 
England  minister,  a  century  ago,  meant  anything  but  a 
life  of  luxury.  Elijah  Lovejoy's  father,  in  addition  to  his 
church  duties,  tilled  the  soil  to  help  provide  for  his  family. 
The  son  was  early  encouraged  by  his  parents  to  become  a 
scholar.  He  read  the  Bible  at  the  age  of  four.  Perhaps  he 
appreciated  his  hours  of  study  all  the  more  because  they 
had  to  be  taken  when  the  day's  work  on  the  farm  was  over. 
At  any  rate,  he  made  good  use  of  them,  for  he  graduated 
from  Waterville  College  at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  much 
admired  by  all  his  fellow  students,  not  only  for  his  scholar- 
ship but  for  his  dignity  and  noble  character.  It  is  also 
said  that  he  made  a  fine  figure  in  athletics. 

His  taste  for  writing  first  showed  itself  in  some  very 
commendable  poetry.  After  teaching  a  few  years  in 
Maine,  he  became  interested  in  the  West,  and  came  to  St. 
Louis,  where  he  taught  and  began  newspaper  work  by 
contributing  to  the  local  papers. 

Lovejoy  Urges  Freeing  the  Slaves.  While  living  in 
St.  Louis,  Lovejoy  entered  the  ministry,  and  it  was  in 
connection  with  a  religious  paper,  "The  Observer,"  which 
he  edited,  that  he  began  his  famous  crusade  against  sla- 
very. His  editorials  aroused  much  indignation,  for  the 
slave  holders  resented  the  idea  of  giving  freedom  to  their 


THE    LOVEJOY    MONUMENT,    ALTON 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 
WBYERSITV  Of 


LOVEJOY  AND  THE  ABOLITIONISTS        203 

negro  servants,  as  much  as  they  would  the  proposition  to 
give  away  their  horses  and  cows. 

Lovejoy  knew  this,  but  he  was  an  intensely  conscien- 
tious man  himself,  and  he  believed  that  if  the  people  were 
brought  to  see  that  slavery  was  wrong,  they  would  of  their 
own  accord  set  their  negroes  free.  For  this  reason  he  at  first 
disagreed  with  the  Abolitionists,  who  believed  that  the 
owners  of  slaves  should  be  forced  to  give  them  up  at  once. 
Lovejoy  plainly  stated  his  views  in  an  editorial  saying: 
"Gradual  emancipation  is  the  remedy  we  propose.  This 
we  look  upon  as  the  only  desirable  way  of  effecting  our 
release  from  the  thralldom  in  which  we  are  held." 

His  Life  Threatened.  Although  he  was  so  considerate 
of  the  slave  holders'  rights,  many  of  them  became  very 
angry  with  his  article  on  slavery,  so  much  so  that  nine  lead- 
ing citizens,  who  were  Lovejoy's  good  friends,  sent  him  a 
petition  begging  him  to  stop  stirring  up  the  question, 
because  they  had  heard  so  many  threats  concerning  him 
that  they  feared  for  his  life. 

Lovejoy  kept  this  petition,  and  two  years  later  wrote 
on  the  back  of  it:  "I  did  not  yield  to  the  wishes  here 
expressed,  and,  in  consequence,  have  been  persecuted  ever 
since.  But  I  have  kept  a  good  conscience  in  the  matter, 
and  that  repays  me  for  all  I  have  suffered  or  can  suffer. 
I  have  sworn  eternal  opposition  to  slavery,  and  by  the 
blessing  of  God  I  will  never  go  back." 

Elijah  Lovejoy  was  a  man  of  such  earnest  convictions 
that  he  was  not  influenced  in  the  least  by  this  petition. 
He  declared  that  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States 
guaranteed  to  all  citizens  the  right  to  free  speech,  and  to 
the  freedom  of  the  press,  and  that  he  should  exercise  those 
rights  in  denouncing  the  crime  of  slavery. 

Driven  Out  of  Missouri.  The  public  became  so  incensed 
with  Lovejoy's  utterances  that  an  attempt  was  made  to 


204  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

destroy  his  press,  and  he  was  asked  to  resign  as  head  of  the 
Observer.  St.  Louis  at  last  became  so  hostile  that  plans 
were  made  for  the  removal  of  the  press  to  Alton,  Illinois, 
which  had  the  first  Abolition  society  in  the  state.  They 
promised  their  support,  and  Lovejoy  again  assumed  control 
of  the  paper. 

Lovejoy  in  Illinois.  The  press  arrived  in  Alton  on 
Sunday,  and,  while  it  lay  unguarded  on  the  wharf,  the  boxes 
were  broken  open,  and  the  pieces  of  the  press  thrown  into 
the  Mississippi  river  by  slave  owners. 

The  citizens  of  Alton  condemned  this  act  at  a  public 
meeting,  and  raised  funds  for  a  new  press.  Mr.  Lovejoy 
was  still  in  favor  of  gradual  emancipation,  and  would  not 
declare  himself  an  Abolitionist,  though  he  said  he  was  the 
"uncompromising  enemy  of  slavery."  For  almost  a  year 
the  Alton  Observer  was  published,  Lovejoy  taking  the 
same  bold  stand  against  slavery,  yet  treating  all  his  oppo- 
nents fairly  and  with  kindness. 

Becomes  an  Abolitionist.  It  was  during  the  disap- 
pointment and  persecution  of  this  year  that  he  was  won 
over  to  Abolitionism.  This  is  shown  by  his  statement; 
"If  a  tree  will  not  bear  good  fruit,  it  should  be  lopped  off 
at  the  roots." 

Advocates  an  Anti-Slavery  Society.  When  he  advo- 
cated in  the  Observer,  the  forming  of  an  Illinois  Anti- 
Slavery  Society,  the  wrath  of  his  enemies  knew  no  bounds. 
But  Lovejoy  was  fearless.  All  over  the  north  opposition 
to  slavery  was  running  high,  and  feeling  against  the  Aboli- 
tionists was  at  a  white  heat  throughout  the  slave 
holding  section. 

Two  days  after  Mr.  Lovejoy's  article  appeared,  a  public 
meeting  was  called  "for  the  suppression  of  Abolitionism." 
A  committee  was  named  to  wait  on  Mr.  Lovejoy  to  express 
their  disapproval  of  his  course,  and  to  ascertain  if  he  still 


LOVEJOY  AND  THE  ABOLITIONISTS        205 

intended  to  persist  in  publishing  an  Abolition  paper. 
Lovejoy  replied  by  an  editorial  outlining  his  anti-slavery 
principles  in  no  uncertain  terms. 

Mob  Threatens.  In  August,  1837,  a  mob  set  out  to 
tar  and  feather  him.  They  met  him  coming  to  town  from 
his  home,  stopped  him  and  told  him  their  purpose.  Love- 
joy  replied  that  he  knew  that  they  had  power  to  do  as 
they  pleased  with  him,  but  he  said  he  was  going  into 
town  for  medicine  for  his  sick  wife.  He  promised,  how- 
ever, that  if  one  of  the  party  would  take  the  prescription 
to  the  drug  store  and  return  with  the  medicine  to  his 
wife  and  reassure  her  about  him,  that  he  would  go  with 
them  and  do  whatever  they  wished.  At  this  they  were 
ashamed  to  attack  the  brave  man,  but  they  did  a  more 
cowardly  thing.  They  went  to  his  office,  broke  in  and 
destroyed  his  press  and  all  his  material.  They  believed 
this  would  stop  the  Abolition  movement  in  Alton,  but 
they  were  mistaken,  for  the  friends  and  supporters  of 
Lovejoy  soon  bought  another  press  by  subscription.  It, 
too,  was  promptly  destroyed  the  night  it  arrived,  and  the 
pieces  thrown  into  the  river. 

Lovejoy  Refuses  to  Leave  Alton.  Discouraged  by  the 
fourth  attempt  to  muzzle  Lovejoy,  and  the  destruction  of 
his  third  press,  the  Abolitionists  assembled  and  discussed 
the  advisability  of  moving  the  press  to  Quincy  where  there 
were  more  anti-slavery  sympathizers,  but  Lovejoy  thought 
the  paper  should  stay  at  Alton. 

In  this  he  was  supported  by  the  organization  of  fifty- 
five  men  into  a  state  Anti-Slavery  Society.  The  proslavery 
men  were  frantic  with  anger  when  they  knew  that  a  fourth 
press  had  been  ordered.  Another  public  meeting  was  held 
at  which  Lovejoy  made  a  pathetic  appealfor  protection. 

His  Appeal  for  Protection.  He  said,  in  part,  "Mr. 
Chairman,  it  is  not  true,  as  has  been  charged  upon  me,  that 


206    .  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

I  hold  in  contempt  the  .feelings  and  sentiments  of  this 
community  in  reference  to  the  question  that  is  now  agitat- 
ing it.  But,  sir,  while  I  value  the  good  opinions  of  my 
fellow  citizens  as  highly  as  anyone,  I  may  be  permitted  to 
say  that  I  am  governed  by  higher  considerations  than  either 
the  favor  or  fear  of  man.  I  plant  myself  down  upon  my 
constitutional  right,  and  the  question  to  be  decided  is 
whether  I  shall  be  protected  in  the  enjoyment  of  these 
rights.  That  is  the  question,  sir,  whether  my  property 
shall  be  protected,  whether  I  shall  be  suffered  to  go  home 
to  my  family  at  night  without  being  assailed,  threatened 
with  tar  and  feathers  and  assassination;  whether  my 
afflicted  wife,  whose  life  has  been  in  continual  jeopardy 
from  alarm  and  excitement,  shall,  night  after  night,  be 
driven  from  her  sick  bed  into  the  garret  to  save  herself 
from  brickbats  and  the  violence  of  the  mob.  .  .  . 
I  know,  sir,  that  you  can  tar  and  feather  me,  hang  me, 
or  put  me  in  the  Mississippi,  without  the  least  difficulty. 
But  what  then?  Where  shall  I  go?  I  have  concluded, 
after  consulting  with  my  friends  and  earnestly  seeking 
counsel  of  God,  to  remain  in  Alton,  and  here  insist  on 
protection  in  the  exercise  of  my  rights.  If  the  civil  author- 
ities refuse  to  protect  me,  I  must  look  to  God,  and,  if  I  die, 
I  am  determined  to  make  my  grave  in  Alton." 

The  Fourth  Press  Arrives.  The  courage  of  this  man 
should  have  moved  even  his  enemies,  but  the  feeling 
against  him  was  too  bitter.  When  the  fourth  press  arrived 
in  Alton,  the  mayor  of  the  city  detailed  a  body  of  private 
citizens  to  protect  it.  It  was  removed  to  the  warehouse 
of  Godfrey,  Gilman  &  Co.,  at  two  o'clock  at  night  and 
placed  on  the  fourth  floor. 

All  was  quiet  during  the  day,  and,  at  evening,  the  militia 
band  of  about  sixty  came  together  at  the  warehouse  to 
drill.  They  were  ready  to  disperse  about  nine  o'clock, 


LOVEJOY  AND  THE  ABOLITIONISTS       207 

when  Mr.  Gilman  suggested  that  it  might  be  safer  to  leave 
a  detail  all  night.  Mr.  Gilman  and  Mr.  Lovejoy  stayed 
with  the  twenty  men  who  remained. 

Another  Angry  Mob.  Shortly  afterward  the  mob 
appeared.  Two  men  were  sent  in  with  the  message  that  no 
one  would  be  harmed  if  the  press  were  handed  over  to 
them.  When  these  messengers  saw  how  weak  the  defense 
was,  and  when  the  militia  refused  to  give  up  the  press,  the 
rabble  attacked  the  building  with  stones  and  clubs. 

Lovejoy  Slain.  The  militiamen  recognized  in  the 
gathering  crowd  in  the  bright  moonlight  below,  their 
friends  and  neighbors,  and  hesitated  to  shoot,  but  they 
defended  the  building  successfully  for  a  time.  Then  one 
of  the  militiamen  fired  and  shot  a  man  among  the  band, 
who  died  before  they  could  reach  a  physician.  At  this, 
the  rabble  attempted  to  set  fire  to  the  building.  Lovejoy 
and  two  others  exposed  themselves  to  protect  the  roof 
from  fire-brands,  and  were  fired  upon  from  below.  Wounded 
in  five  places,  Lovejoy  reentered  the  building,  and  crying 
"I  am  shot,  I  am  dead,"  fell  to  the  floor  and  expired. 

The  militia,  to  save  the  building  and  its  contents, 
then  surrendered  the  press  which  was  broken  into  pieces. 
During  this  battle  the  minister's  wife  had  bravely  rung  the 
church  bell,  but  no  help  came. 

His  Burial.  The  next  morning  the  body  was  removed 
from  the  warehouse  and  quietly  buried  on  a  hill-top,  with 
almost  no  service,  for  fear  of  exciting  the  mob  afresh. 
The  hill  later  became  a  cemetery,  and  Lovejoy's  body  was 
removed  from  the  center  of  the  street  where  it  lay  buried, 
and  a  simple  tombstone  was  erected  by  a  friend. 

The  Wrath  of  the  Country.  A  storm  of  indignation  and 
sorrow  swept  over  the  whole  country.  Wendell  Phillips, 
the  great  Abolitionist,  speaking  in  Fanueil  Hall,  Boston, 
compared  the  courage  of  Lovejoy  with  that  of  the  Revolu- 


208  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

tionary  heroes.  He  said  the  patriots  were  ready  to  die  to 
defend  themselves  against  unjust  taxes  and  laws  that 
touched  their  pocketbooks  merely.  Lovejoy  died  for  a 
great  principle — the  right  to  say,  and  preach,  and  write 
what  he  believed  about  the  wrongs  of  slavery. 

It  is  said  that  the  example  of  his  life  and  the  manner 
of  his  death  did  more  to  help  Illinois  to  stand  as  one  man 
for  the  cause  of  freedom  than  any  other  influence. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  What  is  the  etymology  of  the  word  abolitionist? 

2.  Name  three  great  leaders  of  the  abolitionist  movement. 

3.  Give  an  account  of  the  life  of  Lovejoy  from  his  boyhood 
until  his  death. 

4.  Are  the  acts  of  a  mob  ever  justifiable? 

LESSON   HELPS 

A  Martyr  for  Liberty.  The  first  sign  of  Mr.  Lovejoy's  readi- 
ness to  adopt  abolitionism  came  in  June.  The  secretary  of  the 
National  Anti-Slavery  Society  wrote  the  Observer  (a  paper  of 
which  Mr.  Lovejoy  was  editor),  for  the  names  of  persons  willing  to 
assist  in  petitioning  Congress  for  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  the 
District  of  Columbia.  The  editor  approved  of  the  plan,  and  pub- 
lished this  letter  in  the  issue  of  June  29. 

Thus  Mr.  Lovejoy  took  his  stand  in  the  front  ranks  of  Aboli- 
tion. He  never  regretted  the  step;  never  faltered;  never  looked 
back;  but  fought  valiantly  and  fearlessly  for  the  cause  as  long  as  he 
lived.  — N.  DWIGHT  HARRIS. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

The  Slivery  Struggle  of  1823-24  in  Illinois.     Washburne. 

Slavery  and  Abolition.     Hart. 

Anti-Slavery  Days.     Clarke. 

The  Martyrdom  of  Lovejoy.     Tanner. 

Early  Illinois.     Mason. 

Decisive  Datss  in  Illinois  History.     Tanner. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

ADVERTISEMENT. — Gentlemen  and  Ladies  who  may  wish  to 
improve  their  health  or  circumstances  by  a  northern  tour,  are 
respectfully  invited  to  give  us  their  patronage.  Seats  free,  irre- 
spective of  color. 

—From  "The  Western  Citizen,"  July  13,  1844. 

THE   UNDERGROUND   RAILWAY 

Anti-Slavery  Societies  in  Illinois.  The  death  of  Love- 
joy  did  not  silence  the  Abolitionists,  but  only  added  fuel 
to  the  flames.  In  fact,  it  drove  many  men  of  moderate 
views  into  the  Abolitionist  ranks.  Anti-slavery  societies 
were  organized  in  every  county  in  Illinois.  They  held 
quarterly  meetings,  engaged  men  to  give  public  lectures, 
sent  petitions  to  Congress,  printed  and  circulated  thou- 
sands of  pamphlets,  and  stirred  up  the  people  in  every  way. 

The  Underground  Railway.  The  South  demanded  that 
the  North  should  hush  the  fiery  Abolitionists  who,  they 
said,  were  urging  the  slaves  everywhere  to  rise  against 
their  masters.  In  some  places  rewards  of  from  one  to 
two  thousand  dollars  were  offered  for  the  delivery,  south 
of  Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  of  certain  Abolition  leaders. 
But  all  efforts  to  silence  them  were  in  vain.  Many  of  the 
anti-slavery  men  banded  together  secretly  to  aid  runaway 
negroes  to  escape  to  Canada.  This  was  called  the  Under- 
ground Railway. 

Why  Slaves  Were  Dissatisfied.  It  was  the  policy  of 
all  plantation  owners  to  keep  their  slaves  in  dense  ignor- 
ance, so  that  they  might  not  know  about  other  states 
where  members  of  their  race  were  free.  In  most  of  the 

209 


210  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

cotton  states,  it  was  unlawful  for  any  one  to  teach  a  negro 
to  read  or  write.  Thus  it  was  hoped  the  slaves  would 
spend  their  lives  in  the  cotton  fields  contentedly.  But, 
there  were  all  over  the  South  dissatisfied  slaves.  Some 
were  unhappy  because  they  were  mistreated  by  cruel  slave 
drivers.  Thousands  stood  in  constant  fear  of  being  sold 
and  separated  from  their  families.  Throughout  the  border 
states,  there  was  a  strong  demand  for  slaves  for  the  large 
sugar  and  cotton  plantations  of  the  far  South.  So,  in 
these  border  states  the  negroes  were  especially  eager  to 
learn  of  places  where  they  might  be  free. 

Slaves  Learn  about  Canada.  From  northern  people 
who  visited  the  South,  they  heard  much  about  the  free 
states  and  about  Canada.  If  a  master  could  find  his  slave 
anywhere  in  the  United  States  he  had  the  right,  by  law, 
to  seize  the  fugitive  and  take  him  back  home;  but,  if  a 
runaway  could  get  his  foot  on  Canadian  soil  he  was  safe. 
Friends  of  the  negro  sometimes  made  journeys  through 
the  South  for  the  very  purpose  of  directing  slaves  how 
to  escape  to  Canada.  They  told  them  how  to  recognize 
the  north  star,  and  advised  them  to  go  in  that  direction. 
When  stars  were  not  shining  they  were  instructed  to 
look  for  moss  which  grows  only  on  the  north  side  of 
tree-trunks.  Some  followed  river  valleys  or  mountain 
ranges. 

How  Runaways  Traveled.  They  usually  traveled  by 
night,  and  remained  in  hiding  during  the  day.  Some 
used  rowboats,  and  so  for  hundreds  of  miles,  they  left  no 
track  behind  for  the  keen-scented  bloodhound  or  the  more 
dreaded  slave  catcher.  A  few  reached  the  land  of  free- 
dom by  being  sent  in  boxes  as  merchandise.  Now  and 
then,  one  was  even  sent  in  a  trunk  by  express.  Fre- 
quently men  dressed  as  women,  and  women  in  male  attire, 
escaped  the  searching  eyes  of  pursuers.  Mulattoes  often 


THE    UNDERGROUND   RAILWAY  211 

blacked  their  faces  with  burnt  cork  in  order  to  escape  recog- 
nition. Occasionally  slaves  in  disguise  rode  on  the  same 
train  with  the  men  who  were  looking  for  them,  and  were 
not  recognized. 

Origin  of  the  Underground  Railway.  When  the  runa- 
ways reached  the  Ohio  river  and  the  free  states  beyond, 
they  found  friends.  The  name,  Underground  Railway, 
first  started  in  this  way.  When  runaway  slaves  began  to 
appear  among  the  Quakers  at  Columbia,  Pennsylvania, 
plans  were  made  to  hide  them  away  or  to  send  them  on 
toward  Canada.  Slave  catchers  usually  had  little  trouble 
in  tracking  the  slaves  as  far  as  that  town,  where  they  lost 
all  trace.  Unable  to  find  out  how  the  Quakers  had  dis- 
posed of  the  negroes,  the  pursuers  declared  that  there 
must  be  an  underground  railway  somewhere  about,  and 
so  this  name  came  into  common  use. 

The  Railway  System.  The  stations  of  the  railway 
were  farmhouses,  the  farmer  was  the  conductor  as  well 
as  the  engineer,  while  his  horses  and  wagon  made  up  the 
train.  There  was  a  fine  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  har- 
boring a  negro  or  aiding  his  escape,  the  fine  later,  1850, 
being  increased  to  one  thousand  dollars,  with  six  months 
in  prison.  So  it  was  necessary  to  run  trains  chiefly  at 
night.  Every  man  who  was  connected  with  this  under- 
ground system  kept  it  a  secret.  Suspected  farmers  were 
often  closely  watched  by  hired  agents  of  the  slave  holders. 

The  Underground  in  Illinois.  The  movement  in  Illinois 
started  as  early  as  1818,  the  year  the  territory  became  a 
state,  and  by  1835  there  were  regular  lines  of  travel  from 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  northward  toward  Chicago 
and  Milwaukee,  where  negroes  were  smuggled  aboard 
boats  bound  for  Canada.  A  few  found  homes  among  the 
Yankees  of  northern  Illinois.  One  of  these  lines  of  travel 
was  from  Alton  along  the  Illinois  River  to  Chicago. 


212  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Passengers  Concealed  at  Stations.  The  negroes  wero 
concealed  in  one  place,  sometimes  for  a  week,  in  order 
to  throw  their  pursuers  off  the  track.  The  hiding  place  was 
usually  the  cellar,  the  attic,  or  a  secret  room.  When 
closely  watched  they  resorted  to  a  hay  loft  or  a  wood  pile. 
At  Galesburg,  Illinois,  the  belfry  of  the  church  was  used  for 
this  purpose. 

John  Hood,  of  Sparta,  aided  a  negro  and  Irs  wife  to 
escape  from  some  slave  catchers  who  had  them  in  charge 
on  the  homeward  journey,  and  who  had  stopped  at  Hood's 
house  for  the  night.  The  negroes  were  locked  up  in  the 
cellar  by  the  kidnapers.  During  the  night,  Hood  removed 
them  to  the  center  of  a  large  haystack,  where  they  were 
fed  and  concealed  for  a  week. 

Trains  Run  at  Night.  Fugitives  were  sent  on  usually 
at  night,  either  by  wagon  or  afoot,  with  careful  directions 
where  to  find  their  next  friend,  and  how  to  signal  him, 
by  tapping  on  the  window.  Mr.  John  Weldon,  of  D wight, 
took  negroes  to  Chicago  concealed  in  wagons  loaded  with 
bran.  Often  a  load  of  hay  or  straw  served  as  a  blind  at 
midday.  In  one  case  at  Cincinnati,  twenty-eight  negroes 
appeared  at  one  time,  and  several  closed  carriages  were 
formed  into  a  pretended  funeral  procession.  Thus  they 
safely  proceeded  northward  in  broad  daylight. 

The  underground  lines  were  sometimes  zigzag,  and 
often  there  were  two  or  three  parallel  routes,  so  that  in 
case  one  was  being  watched  the  other  could  be  taken  by 
the  fugitives. 

The  Number  of  Slaves  Aided.  Great  numbers  were 
aided  and  directed  to  freedom  by  the  Underground  Rail- 
way. H.  B.  Leeper,  of  Princeton,  Illinois,  said  his  best 
record  was  aiding  thirty-one  men  and  women  in  six  weeks. 
One  conductor  in  Pennsylvania,  during  forty  years,  gave 
aid  to  no  fewer  than  one  thousand.  There  were  no  tele- 


THE  UNDERGROUND  RAILWAY  213 

graph  ines  along  the  Underground,  but  messages  were 
often  sent  by  mail.  These  messages  were  cautiously 
written.  Below  are  some  specimens: 


David  Putnam : 

Business  is  arranged  for  Saturday  night.  Be  on 
the  lookout  and,  if  possible,  let  a  carriage  come  and 
meet  the  caravan. 

J.  S. 


Mr.  C.  B.  C.: 

By    tomorrow's    evening    mail    you    will    receive 
two  volumes  of  the  "Irrepressible  Conflict"  bound 
in  black.     After  perusal,  please  forward  and  oblige. 
Yours  truly,  G.  W.  W. 


Dear  Grinell: 

Uncle  Tom  says  that  if  the  roads  are  not  too  bad 
you  can  look  for  those  fleeces  of  wool  by  tomorrow. 
Send  them  on  to  test  the  market  and  prices.  No 
back  pay.  Yours,  HUB. 


"We  know  little  regarding  those  old  secret  routes 
now;  they  have  left  only  dim  traces,  although  a  few  hoary- 
headed  men  linger,  who  can  tell  thrilling  stories  of  that 
little  section  on  which  they  once  faithfully  served.  It 
may  be  none  were  acquainted  with  the  entire  distance 
traversed;  certain  it  is  that  all  that  any  station-keeper 


214  THE   STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

needed  to  know  was  the  location  of  the  next  station  lying 
east  or  north  of  his  own.  The  fugitives  came  to  him  in 
the  dark  hours  before  dawn;  all  that  day  they  lay  hidden 
securely  from  prying  eyes,  and  when  night  again  dark- 
ened, he  led  them  swiftly  onward  to  another  similar  place 
of  safety.  No  record  was  ever  kept  of  the  number  that 
passed,  but  many  a  hundred,  including  men,  women,  and 
children,  thus  won  their  weary  way  to  freedom  across  the 
night-enshrouded  prairies  of  Illinois." 

.TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Describe  the  operations  of  the  Underground   Railway. 

2.  Trace  the  route  of  the  main  lines  of  the  Underground  Rail- 
way across  Illinois. 

3.  Draw   a  star-map   showing   how   the   position   of  the   north 
star  may  be  determined. 

4.  Bring  to  class  an  account  of  the  experience  of  a  runaway  slave, 
which  you  have  learned  tfrom  the  Recommended  Readings  or  else- 
where. 

5.  What  was  the  Dred  Scott  decision? 

LESSON   HELPS 

An  Underground  Railroad  Station.  Three  principal  lises 
from  the  South  converged  at  my  house:  one  from  Cincinnati,  one 
from  Madison,  and  one  from  Jeffersonville.  Seldom  a  week  passed 
without  our  receiving  passengers  by  this  mysterious  Underground 
Railroad.  We  knew  not  what  night,  or  what  hour  of  the  night, 
we  would  be  aroused  by  a  gentle  rap  at  the  door,  which  was  the 
signal  of  the  arrival  of  a  train;  for  the  locomotive  did  not  whistle 
or  make  any  unnecessary  noise.  —Recollections  of  Levi  Coffin. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

The  Underground  Railroad.     Siebert. 

Anti-Slavery  Days.     Clarke. 

History  of  Negro  Servitude  in  Illinois.     Harris. 

Negro    Servitude    and    the    Underground  Railroad.     Davidson. 

The  Underground  Railroad.     Still. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

But  somehow  South  could  ne'er  incline 
This  way  or  that  to  run  the  line; 
And  always  found  some  new  pretence 
'Gainst  setting  the  division  fence. 

— The  Biglow  Papers — JAMES  RUSSELL  LOWELL. 

THE   GREAT  DEBATES 

Douglas  Explodes  a  Bomb.  On  January  4,  1854, 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  senator  from  Illinois,  introduced 
into  Congress  a  bill  which  startled  the  whole  country. 
This  Kansas-Nebraska  Bill  provided  for  the  forming  of 
two  territories  out  of  that  part  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase 
which  lay  west  and  north  of  Missouri.  There  was  no 
harm  to  come  from  this  provision,  but  the  bill  further 
provided  that  each  of  the  two  territories  so  formed,  should 
decide  for  itself  whether  or  not  slavery  should  exist  within 
its  borders.  This  was  the  bomb  that  exploded  in  every 
northern  state.  The  reason  for  this  excitement  was,  that 
for  more  than  thirty  years,  most  people  of  the  North  had 
looked  upon  slavery  in  the  Louisiana  Purchase  as  forever 
prohibited.  The  Missouri  Compromise  of  1820  had  pro- 
vided that  slavery  should  never  exist  north  of  the  parallel 
of  36  degrees,  30  minutes,  north  latitude,  save  in  the  state 
of  Missouri.  This  compromise  the  northern  people  had 
looked  upon  as  a  sacred  agreement,  and  they  had  consoled 
themselves  that,  whatever  might  happen,  slavery  £ould  not 
go  north  of  that  forbidden  line  of  "thirty-six  thirty."  Now, 
suddenly,  like  thunder  from  a  clear  sky,  Douglas  proposed 

215 


THE   GREAT   DEBATES  217 

to  throw  open  this  territory,  all  of  which  lay  north  of  the 
Compromise  line,  to  slavery  or  freedom,  as  the  people 
might  decide.  It  was  like  throwing  a  piece  of  meat  to  two 
hungry  bull-dogs,  and  bidding  them  fight  for  it. 

The  Kansas-Nebraska  Bill  Passes  Congress.  Nobody 
had  asked  Douglas  to  introduce  such  a  measure.  The 
South  had  not  sought  it.  The  North  had  not  consented. 
In  fact,  Douglas  himself  had  written  the  bill  of  his  own 
motion,  in  his  own  house,  and  had  consulted  with  only  two 
people  about  it,  the  President  and  Jefferson  Davis.  The 
South  was  surprised,  because  they  had  not  even  hoped  for 
slavery  in  this  great  northwest.  However,  they  were 
delighted  at  the  prospect,  and  quickly  fell  into  line  behind 
Douglas.  The  bill  was  passed,  after  Douglas  had  spoken 
all  night  in  defense  of  his  measure. 

Douglas  Visits  His  Home  State.  A  storm  of  rage 
swept  over  the  North.  Douglas  was  condemned  as  a  traitor. 
He  was  called  Judas  Iscariot,  and  a  certain  society  of 
women  sent  him  thirty  pieces  of  silver.  He  later  said  he 
could  have  traveled  from  Boston  to  Chicago  by  the  light 
of  his  own  effigies.  Attempting  to  make  a  speech  in  Chi- 
cago, in  his  home  state,  he  was  hooted  off  the  stage.  For 
hours  he  tried  to  speak,  but  the  people  hissed  and  shouted 
until  Douglas  gave  it  up.  Had  it  not  been  for  his  courage, 
the  people  would  have  laid  violent  hands  upon  him.  In 
southern  Illinois  he  had  a  kinder  reception,  but  outside  his 
own  state  he  was  bitterly  denounced  by  the  newspapers, 
public  assemblies,  legislatures  and  private  citizens. 

Why  Douglas  Favored  the  Slave  Holders.  What  do 
you  think  prompted  Douglas,  a  northern  man,  represent- 
ing a  free  state,  to  join  hands  with  the  South  in  extending 
slavery?  The  people  said  he  did  it  in  order  to  win  friends 
among  the  southern  slave  holders,  so  that  they  would  help 
to  elect  him  President.  He  had  tried  to  get  the  nomination 


218  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

in  1852.  All  the  northern  Democrats  favored  him  at  that 
time,  but  the  southern  Democrats  would  not  hear  to  it,  and 
Douglas  failed.  Many  believed  he  was  now  sacrificing  the 
welfare  of  the  North,  as  a  bid  for  votes  in  the  South  for  the 
coming  election.  If  this  was  his  plan,  it  looked  as  though 
he  was  doing  what  he  set  out  to  do,  for  the  whole  land  of 
Dixie  resounded  with  his  praises,  but  it  was  two  years  before 
the  next  election. 

In  the  meantime,  civil  war  broke  out  in  Kansas  over 
the  question  of  slavery  in  that  territory.  The  country, 
both  North  and  South,  was  greatly  wrought  up  over 
"bleeding  Kansas,"  and  Douglas  had  to  bear  the  brunt  of 
blame  for  it,  since  it  was  his  bill  that  made  Kansas  a 
battle-ground. 

When  the  next  Democratic  convention  came,  Douglas 
was  in  high  hopes,  but  he  was  again  put  aside  for  a  north- 
ern Democrat,  Buchanan.  However,  he  came  much  nearer 
the  goal  than  four  years  before.  He  had  gained  many 
votes  in  the  southland,  but  not  quite  enough  to  be  nomin- 
ated by  his  party.  This  must  have  been  a  keen  disap- 
pointment to  Douglas,  for  he  had  thrown  open  a  vast 
region,  hitherto  free,  to  slavery  to  please  the  South.  He 
had  gone  through  fire  and  water  to  defend  himself  from 
the  angry  North — all  to  win  favor  with  the  slave  holders. 
Now  he  was  coldly  put  aside  for  one  less  worthy. 

Slave  Holders  Try  to  Force  Slavery  upon  Kansas.  The 
pro-slavery  men  in  Kansas  soon  got  together  and  made  a 
constitution  favoring  slavery.  They  would  not  let  the 
people  of  the  territory  vote  on  it  fairly,  so  the  free-soil 
people  there  refused  to  vote  on  it  at  all.  The  pro-slavery 
men  declared  it  adopted,  and  asked  Congress  to  admit 
Kansas  as  a  slave  state.  The  southern  Democrats  were 
eager  to  do  this,  and  so  was  President  Buchanan,  while 
the  Republicans  and  anti-slavery  men  were  boiling  in 


STEPHEN   A.   DOUGLAS 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


THE   GREAT   DEBATES  221 

anger.  But  the  Democrats  were  in  the  majority,  and  were 
about  to  admit  Kansas  when  Douglas  interfered.  He  told 
his  party  that  the  Kansas  election  was  not  fair,  and  that 
there  were  frauds  in  it.  He  insisted  on  giving  the  Kansans 
another  chance,  and  a  fair  chance,  to  vote  on  this  consti- 
tution. Douglas  said  he  cared  not  whether  slavery  was 
voted  up  or  voted  down,  but  that  for  an  honest  election 
he  would  stand  to  the  last. 

"Superb  fighter  that  he  was;  he  had  a  fighter's  best 
opportunity — great  odds  to  fight  against,  and  at  last  a 
good  cause  to  fight  for.  President  Buchanan  threateningly 
reminded  Douglas  that  'no  Democrat  ever  broke  with  a 
Democratic  administration  without  being  crushed.'  Doug- 
las scornfully  retorted,  'Mr.  President,  I  wish  to  remind 
you  that  General  Jackson  is  dead.'  The  whole  South, 
so  lately  reciting  his  praises,  rose  up  against  him  and  reviled 
him  as  a  traitor."  They  accused  him  of  deserting  them  in 
order  to  make  sure  of  his  reelection  as  Senator  from 
Illinois.  But  few  of  his  fellow  Democratic  Senators  had 
the  courage  to  follow  him.  So  magnificent  was  his  fight, 
that  almost  single-handed,  he  forced  the  great  slave  power 
to  send  back  to  Kansas  her  slave  constitution,  with  permis- 
sion to  vote  on  it  again.  In  this  second  election  the  people 
of  Kansas  voted  slavery  down  five  to  one. 

A  Warm  Welcome  Home.  There  was  rejoicing  all 
through  the  North  over  the  victory  for  freedom  in  Kansas, 
and  Douglas  was  highly  praised  for  insisting  upon  honesty 
and  fair  play.  Upon  his  return  to  his  home  state  to  stand 
for  reelection  as  Senator,  Chicago  gave  him  a  royal  welcome. 

He  realized  that  he  would  have  a  hard  fight  when  he 
heard  who  was  to  be  his  opponent,  for  the  Republicans 
had  enthusiastically  named  Abraham  Lincoln  as  their 
candidate.  Douglas  feared  Lincoln  more  than  he  did  the 
ablest  men  in  Washington. 


222  THE   STORY   OF    ILLINOIS 

Lincoln's  Stand  on  Slavery.  The  speech  that  Lincoln 
made  when  he  was  nominated  for  Senator  against  the 
''Little  Giant"  won  for  him  wide  fame.  "A  house  divided 
against  itself,"  he  said,  "cannot  stand."  "I  believe  this 
government  cannot  endure  permanently  half-slave  and 
half-free.  I  do  not  expect  the  Union  to  be  dissolved,  I  do 
not  expect  the  house  to  fall,  but  I  do  expect  it  will  cease 
to  be  divided.  It  will  become  all  one  thing  or  all  the 
other."  This  was  a  bolder  st?.nd  than  his  party  wished 
him  to  take.  When  he  read  this  speech  privately  to  his 
friends  before  he  gave  it  in  public,  they  all,  save  one,  dis- 
approved of  these  sentences  and  urged  him  to  leave  them 
out.  His  party  managers  told  him  these  words  would  hurt 
his  chances  of  election.  Lincoln  replied,  "If  it  is  decreed 
that  I  should  go  down  because  of  this  speech,  then  let  me 
go  down  linked  with  the  truth — let  me  die  in  the  advocacy 
of  what  is  just  and  right.  ...  I  would  rather  be 
defeated  with  this  expression  in  the  speech  than  be  victo- 
rious without  it." 

Lincoln  Challenges  Douglas.  Lincoln  awaited  Doug- 
las's arrival  at  Chicago,  heard  his  speech  and  answered 
him  the  next  night.  He  followed  Douglas  into  the  center 
of  the  state,  and  challenged  him  to  a  series  of  joint  debates 
before  the  people  of  Illinois  on  the  questions  of  the  day, 
chief  of  which  was  slavery  extension.  Douglas  would 
rather  have  faced  any  other  man  in  America  than  Lincoln. 
He  hesitated,  then  accepted  the  challenge. 

The  "Rail-splitter"  against  the  "Little  Giant."  Lin- 
coln's friends  trembled  for  the  result,  for  Douglas  was 
known  all  over  the  country  as  the  ablest  off-hand  speaker 
and  debater  to  be  found.  He  had  met  and  defeated  all 
the  great  statesmen  in  Congress.  Dashing,  brilliant  leader 
that  he  was,  he  had  become  the  idol  of  the  masses.  Lin- 
coln was  scarcely  known  outside  of  his  own  Prairie  State, 


THE   GREAT   DEBATES  223 

and  his  followers  were  yet  few.  He  knew  the  marvelous 
power  of  his  opponent  as  an  orator,  and  the  great  risk  ho 
himself  was  facing,  but  he  felt  that  he  had  truth  and  justice 
on  his  side,  and  he  believed  that  he  could  hold  his  own. 

Douglas  in  Hard  Straits.  Lincoln  had  no  fame  to  lose, 
but  everything  to  gain,  while  Douglas  had  a  national 
reputation.  Besides,  he  wished  to  fasten  his  grip  on  the 
senatorship  until  he  could  again  make  the  race  for  Presi- 
dent, and  he  dared  not  forget  that  the  entire  South  was 
hearing  every  word  and  watching  every  move.  Douglas 
represented  an  old  party  with  old  theories,  while  Lincoln 
was  put  forward  by  a  new  and  enthusiastic  party  that 
stood  for  freedom  and  against  slavery. 

Side  by  side,  on  wooden  platforms,  in  the  open  air, 
stood  the  great  rivals,  with  farmers  by  the  thousand 
gathered  to  hear  them.  There  stood  "Honest  Old  Abe," 
lean,  long-limbed,  and  awkward,  and  by  his  side  the 
"Little  Giant,"  scarce  five  feet  high,  but  compactly  built 
and  full  of  energy.  Lincoln's  voice  was  high  pitched, 
strained  and  unpleasant,  while  the  voice  of  his  opponent 
was  that  of  a  trained  orator.  In  gesture  and  manner, 
too,  Douglas  had  the  advantage,  for  Lincoln  was  stiff 
and  ungraceful.  In  language  Douglas  was  bold,  fluent, 
and  severe.  Lincoln's  speech  was  simple,  forceful,  and  so 
logical  that  Douglas  could  neither  dispute  nor  evade  its 
truth.  Many  had  thought  that  Douglas  would  make 
short  work  of  the  "Rail-splitter,"  but  it  was  evident  that 
he  had  at  last  met  his  match.  At  the  close  of  the  first 
debate  at  Ottawa,  Lincoln  was  carried  away  on  the  shoul- 
ders of  his  rejoicing  admirers. 

Lincoln's  Shrewd  Questions.  In  seven  cities  these 
giant  debaters  met,  while  the  whole  country  was  reading 
their  speeches.  They  put  questions  to  each  other  to  be 
answered  before  the  people.  Lincoln  so  framed  his  ques- 


224  THE   STORY    OF   ILLINOIS 

tions  on  slavery  that  Douglas  would  either  have  to  please 
the  people  of  Illinois  and  displease  the  South,  in  which 
case  he  would  never  be  elected  President;  or  he  must 
please  the  South  and  displease  his  home  state,  in  which 
case  he  would  lose  the  senatorship.  Douglas  answered  as 
Lincoln  thought  he  would,  won  the  senatorship,  but 
disappointed  the  slave  states;  and  thus  his  chances  of  some 
time  living  in  the  White  House  were  forever  ruined. 

Lincoln  Champions  the  Negro.  Douglas  accused 
Lincoln  of  trying  to  make  the  slave  the  equal  of  the  white 
man.  In  reply  Lincoln  said,  "There  is  no  reason  in  the 
world  why  the  negro  is  not  entitled  to  all  the  natural  rights 
enumerated  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the  right 
of  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  I  hold  that 
he  is  as  much  entitled  to  these  as  the  white  man.  I  agree 
with  Judge  Douglas,  that  he  is  not  my  equal  in  many 
respects — certainly  not  in  color,  perhaps  not  in  moral  and 
intellectual  endowments.  But  in  the  right  to  eat  the  bread, 
without  leave  of  anyone  else,  which  his  own  hands  earn,  he- 
is  my  equal,  and  the  equal  of  Judge  Douglas,  and  the  equal 
of  every  living  man.  All  I  ask  for  the  negro  is  that  if  you 
do  not  like  him,  let  him  alone.  If  God  gave  him  but  little, 
that  little  let  him  enjoy." 

The  chief  difference  between  the  views  of  Lincoln 
and  those  of  Douglas  was  in  regard  to  slavery  in  the  ter- 
ritories. Douglas  stood  for  the  principle  of  "Popular 
Sovereignty,"  as  expressed  in  his  Kansas  and  Nebraska 
Bill — that  is,  that  the  people  of  each  territory  should  decide 
for  themselves,  when  their  territory  entered  the  Union, 
whether  or  not  they  should  have  slavery.  Lincoln  held 
that  since  slavery  was  a  great  evil,  it  ought  not  to  be  allowed 
to  spread  over  the  territories.  It  should,  he  thought,  be 
confined  to  the  fifteen  slave  states  where  it  then  existed, 
with  the  hope  that  it  would  some  day  die  out  entirely. 


THE  GREAT  DEBATES  225 

Lincoln's  Defeat  and  Victory.  While  Lincoln  failed 
to  defeat  Douglas  for  Senator,  he  was  beaten  by  but  a 
few  votes.  The  "Rail-splitter"  suddenly  awakened  to  find 
himself  famous  throughout  the  land.  Invitations  came  to 
him  from  all  the  great  cities  of  the  North  to  lecture,  and  in 
this  way  he  became  well  known,  and  a  most  promising  can- 
didate for  the  Presidency. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  What  is  meant  by  a  "figure  of  speech"?     Illustrate. 

2.  Explain    the    literary    meaning    of    the    sentence,    "Douglas 
explodes  a  bomb." 

3.  Get  from  the  dictionary,  or  your  history,  the  meaning  of  the 
expression  "Squatter  sovereignty,"  and  tell  how  it  was  related  to 
the  Kansas-Nebraska  Bill. 

4.  Contrast  the  attitudes  of  Lincoln  and  Douglas  on  the  ques- 
tion of  slavery. 

5.  Give  a  brief  account  of  the  conduct  and  results  of  the  Great 
Debates. 

LESSON   HELPS 

A  Convincing  Answer.  When  Judge  Douglas  says  'that  who- 
ever or  whatever  community  wants  slaves,  they  have  a  right  to 
have  them,  he  is  perfectly  logical,  if  there  is  nothing  wrong  in  the 
institution;  but  if  you  admit  that  it  is  wrong,  he  cannot  logically 
say  that  anybody  has  a  right  to  do  wrong.  When  he  says  that 
slave  property,  and  horse  and  hog  property  are  alike  to  be  allowed 
to  go  into  the  Territories,  upon  the  principle  of  equality,  he  is  reas- 
oning truly,  if  there  is  no  difference  between  them  as  property; 
but  if  the  one  is  property  held  rightfully,  and  the  other  wrongfully, 
then  there  is  no  equality  between  the  right  and  wrong. 

— From  Lincoln's  Speech  at  the  Sixth  Debate. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Morse's  Life  of  Lincoln.     Dial,  Vol.  15,  Page  263. 

Life  of  Lincoln.     McClure,  Vol.  5,  Page  481;  Vol.  6,  Page  2. 

The  Lincoln-Douglas  Debates.     Sparks. 

Decisive  Dates  in  Illinois  History.     Jones. 


CHAPTER  XX 

This  man  whose  homely  face  you  look  upon, 
Was  one  of  nature's  masterful  great  men; 

Born  with  strong  arms,  that  unf ought  battles  won; 
Direct  of  speech  and  cunning  with  the  pen; 

Wise,  too,  for  what  he  could  not  break,  he  bent. 

— RICHARD  HENRY  STODDARD. 


NOMINATION  AND  ELECTION  OF  LINCOLN 

The  Debates  Make  the  "Rail-Splitter"  Famous.  One 
of  the  first  men  among  Lincoln's  friends  to  believe  it 
possible  to  nominate  him  for  President,  was  Jesse  W.  Fell, 
who  had  been  traveling  in  the  East  during  the  time  of 
the  Lincoln-Douglas  debates.  Finding  that  Lincoln's 
speeches  attracted  so  much  attention  everywhere,  and  that 
they  were  copied  by  many  eastern  papers,  Fell  returned 
to  Springfield  to  urge  Lincoln  to  make  the  race  for 
the  Presidency. 

"I  have  been  East,  Lincoln,"  said  he,  "as  far  as  Bos- 
ton .  .  .  traveling  in  all  the  New  England  states, 
save  Maine;  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio,  Michigan  and  Indiana,  and  everywhere,  I  hear  you 
talked  about.  Very  frequently  I  have  been  asked,  'Who 
is  this  man  Lincoln,  of  your  state,  now  canvassing  in  oppo- 
sition to  Senator  Douglas?'  ...  I  usually  told  them 
we  had  in  Illinois  two  giants  instead  of  one;  that  Douglas 
was  the  little  one,  as  they  all  knew,  but  that  you  were  the 
big  one,  which  they  didn't  at  all  know." 

226 


His  Friends  Determined.  Throughout  the  year  1859, 
a  few  of  Lincoln's  life-long  friends  worked  quietly  to  arouse 
the  Prairie  State  for  "Honest  Abe."  It  was  arranged 
first  to  have  the  country  newspapers  come  out  one  by  one 
for  Lincoln.  Later,  city  papers  were  to  take  up  his  cause. 
Soon  Lincoln  began  to  receive  offers  of  aid  from  unexpected 
quarters.  In  reply  to  one  editor  he  wrote:  "I  must  in  all 
candor  say  I  do  not  think  myself  fit  for  the  Presidency." 
Early  in  1860,  so  many  were  urging  him  that  he 
became  convinced  that,  fit  or  not,  he  was  in  the  race, 
and  he  consented  to  write  the  little  sketch  now  known  as 
his  autobiography. 

His  Autobiography.  "I  was  born  February  12,  1809, 
in  Hardin  County,  Kentucky.  .  .  .  My  father  removed 
from  Kentucky  to  what  is  now  Spencer  County,  Indiana, 
in  my  eighth  year.  .  .  .  There  I  grew  up.  There 
were  some  schools,  so  called,  but  no  qualification  was  ever 
required  of  a  teacher  beyond  readin',  writin',  and  cipherin' 
to  the  rule  of  three.  I  have  not  been  to  school  since.  I  was 
raised  to  farm  work,  which  I  continued  until  I  was  twenty- 
two.  At  twenty-one,  I  came  to  Illinois,  Macon  County. 
Then  I  got  to  Salem  County,  where  I  remained  a  year  as 
a  sort  of  clerk  in  a  store.  Then  came  the  Black  Hawk  war, 
and  I  was  elected  a  captain  of  volunteers,  which  gave  me 
more  pleasure  than  any  I  have  had  since.  I  ran  for  the 
Legislature  the  same  year,  1832,  and  was  beaten,  the  only 
time  I  have  ever  been  beaten  by  the  people.  In  1846  I  was 
elected  to  the  Lower  House  of  Congress.  ...  I  was 
losing  interest  in  politics  when  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri 
Compromise  (Kansas-Nebraska  Bill)  aroused  me  again. 
What  I  have  done  since  is  pretty  well  known.  I  am  in 
height  six  feet  four  inches,  nearly;  lean  in  flesh,  weighing 
on  an  average  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds;  dark 
complexion,  with  coarse,  black  hair  and  gray  eyes." 


228 


THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 


"There  is  not  much  of  it,"  he  apologized  as  he  sent  the 
sketch  in,  "for  the  reason,  I  suppose,  that  there  is  not  much 
of  me.  If  anything  be  made  out  of  it,  I  wish  it  to  be  modest, 
and  not  to  go  beyond  the  material." 

The  Illinois  Convention.  When  the  Illinois  Republicans 
held  their  state  convention  at  Decatur,  on  May  9th  and 
10th,  1860,  Lincoln  received  a  strange  ovation.  While 
the  delegates  were  in  session,  Lincoln  came  in  to  look 
on  and  was  invited  to  a  seat  on  the  platform.  Soon  after 
one  of  his  friends  offered  a  contribution  to  the  conven- 
tion, which  was  accepted.  A  curious  banner  made  of 
two  fence-rails  decorated  with  flags,  was  borne  up  the 
hall.  On  it  was  this  inscription: 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

THE    RAIL    CANDIDATE 
FOR  PRESIDENT  IN   1860 


Two  rails  from  a  lot  of  3,000  made  in  1830  by  Thos. 
Hanks  and  Abe  Lincoln — whose  father  was  the  first 
pioneer  of  Macon  County. 


The  convention  wildly  applauded  this  banner,  and 
shortly  after  Lincoln  was  enthusiastically  named  as  the 
choice  of  the  Republicans  of  Illinois  for  President. 

Too  Inexperienced  for  the  East.  Eastern  men  did  not 
yet  consider  Lincoln  seriously.  They  made  long  lists  of 
suitable  candidates  for  President,  but  made  no  mention 


LINCOLN    AND    HTS    SON    "TAD" 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  HUNOIS 


NOMINATION  AND  ELECTION  OF  LINCOLN     231 

of  Lincoln.  A  few  had  read  his  speeches,  but  because 
he  was  a  great  debater  was  no  proof  that  he  would  make 
a  good  President.  The  East  naturally  preferred  a  man 
with  more  experience  as  a  statesman. 

The  National  Convention.  The  National  Republican 
Convention  opened  in  Chicago  on  May  16,  1860.  For  days 
before,  delegates,  politicians,  and  newspaper  men  were 
thronging  the  pioneer  city.  The  friends  of  each  candi- 
date brought  along  a  big  crowd  of  his  men,  hired  to  march 
and  to  cheer  at  every  mention  of  their  favorite.  New 
York  brought  2,000  to  applaud  the  name  of  Seward. 
A  celebrated  band  accompanied  each  state  delegation. 
Hundreds  of  spectators  flocked  hither,  until  there  were 
said  to  be  40,000  strangers  in  the  city  during  the  conven- 
tion. Processions,  with  bands  at  their  heads,  marched 
the  streets  with  banners  and  hissing  rockets,  shouting  for 
Seward,  for  Cameron,  for  Chase,  or  for  Lincoln.  Illinois 
was  not  to  be  outdone.  Lincoln  banners  floated  across 
the  streets  and  upon  prominent  buildings.  When  Lin- 
coln's friends  saw  the  great  crowd  of  "rooters"  for  Seward 
they  gathered  together  10,000  "Hoosiers"  and  "Suckers," 
everybody  in  Chicago  with  fog-horn  voices,  to  march, 
shout,  or  fight  for  the  "Rail-splitter." 

The  Wigwam.  The  convention  met  in  a  rude  structure 
built  especially  for  the  occasion,  by  the  Chicago  Republican 
Club.  In  true  western  style,  it  was  called  the  Wigwam. 
There  were  crowded  into  it  at  the  opening  of  the  convention 
10,000  persons.  As  each  candidate's  name  was  introduced 
there  was  deafening  applause  by  his  followers.  At  the 
name  of  Lincoln,  5,000  people  jumped  from  their  seats  with 
one  wild  yell.  The  Seward  men  were  confident;  but  Lincoln 
shouters  made  the  greater  noise.  As  the  roar  died  away  a 
voice  cried  "Abe  Lincoln  has  it  by  the  sound  now;  let 
us  ballot!" 


232  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  Wild  Balloting.  There  were  eight  other  candi- 
dates besides  Lincoln  and  Sewafd,  and  the  Illinois  workers 
tried  to  unite  all  those  opposed  to  Seward  to  vote  for  Lin- 
coln. They  worked  night  and  day  to  bring  this  about. 

The  delegates  proceeded  to  vote.  On  the  first  ballot 
Seward  led  with  173^  votes,  Lincoln  being  second  with 
102.  On  the  second  ballot  Pennsylvania  threw  her  52 
votes  to  Lincoln.  Other  scattering  votes  brought  his  gain 
to  79,  while  Seward  gained  but  11.  To  win,  required  234 
votes.  All  those  opposed  to  Seward  now  began  throwing 
their  votes  to  "Honest  Abe,"  who  received  on  the  next 
ballot  231^.  The  excitement  was  intense,  and  every- 
body was  keeping  count.  Instantly  the  chairman  of  the 
Ohio  delegation  shouted:  "Mr.  President,  I  rise  to  change 
four  votes  from  Mr.  Chase  to  Mr.  Lincoln."  A  mighty 
shout  from  ten  thousand  voices  broke  forth.  Men  leaped, 
tossed  their  hats  and  canes  into  the  air,  and  the  ladies 
waved  a  sea  of  flags  and  handkerchiefs. 

How  the  News  Was  Received.  The  Seward  men  were 
broken-hearted,  and  their  leader,  Thurlow  Weed,  burst 
into  tears.  A  man  on  the  platform  shouted  to  one  sta- 
tioned on  the  roof:  "Hallelujah,  Abe  Lincoln  is  nom- 
inated!" A  cannon  roared  the  news  to  the  multitudes  in 
the  streets  below  who  took  up  the  shout.  Whistles  on  the 
river,  on  locomotives  and  factories,  broke  forth  and  soon 
the  prairies  resounded  with  hurrahs,  spreading  gradually 
with  the  news  to  other  cities  and  states. 

"Hurrah  for  our  cause — of  all  causes  the  best! 
Hurrah  for  old  Abe,  Honest  Abe  of  the  West!" 

News  Telegraphed  to  Lincoln.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  in 
Springfield  nervously'  awaiting  the  result,  when  suddenly 
a  messenger  boy  rushed  pell-mell  into  his  office  shouting, 
"Mr.  Lincoln,  you  are  nominated!"  The  shout  was  taken 
up  on  all  sides  and  people  flocked  about  their  hero,  half- 


NOMINATION  AND  ELECTION  OF  LINCOLN     233 

laughing  and  half-crying,  shaking  his  hands  when  they 
could  get  them,  and  when  they  could  not,  one  another's. 
Lincoln  was  overjoyed,  but  realizing  what  it  all  meant, 
he  said,  "My  friends,  I  am  glad  to  receive  your  congrat- 
ulations, and  as  there  is  a  little  woman  down  on  Eighth 
Street  who  will  be  glad  to  hear  the  news,  you  must  excuse 
me  till  I  inform  her."  And  off  he  hastened,  only  to  find 
her  already  acquainted  with  the  good  tidings.  Mrs. 
Lincoln  for  years  had  firmly  believed  that  her  husband 
deserved  to  be  President,  and  that  he  would  some  day  have 
that  honor;  and  her  faith  was  now  being  justified. 

The  Platform.  Lincoln's  party  platform  pronounced 
slavery  an  evil,  and  while  denying  any  intention  of  inter- 
fering with  it  in  the  states  where  it  then  existed,  demanded 
that  Congress  prohibit  it  in  all  the  territories. 

The  Democratic  Party  Splits  over  Slavery.  The 
Democrats  held  a  convention  and  split  in  two  sections  over 
the  question  of  slavery  in  the  territories.  The  northern 
wing  named  Douglas  as  its  candidate,  and  declared  for 
popular  sovereignty;  that  is,  that  Congress  must  keep 
hands  off  and  let  the  people  of  the  territories  vote  slavery 
iu  or  out.  The  southern  wing  again  put  Douglas  aside 
because  they  advocated  that  nobody,  not  even  the  people, 
had  a  right  to  interfere  with  slavery  in  the  territories; 
that  it  was  the  duty  of  Congress  to  protect  it  there.  So, 
they  named  Breckenridge  as  their  standard  bearer.  The 
break  in  the  Democratic  ranks  made  the  election  of  Lincoln 
a  certainty,  and  the  southern  states  prepared  to  break 
away  from  the  Union  to  form  a  government  of  their  own, 
with  slavery  as  the  chief  corner  stone. 

The  Campaign  of  1860.  In  Illinois  every  schoolhouse 
and  grove  resounded  with  stirring  speeches  and  the  music 
of  bands.  Our  people  seemed  to  give  themselves  up  entirely 
to  this  great  campaign.  With  two  sons  of  Illinois  in  the 


234  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

contest,  the  Douglas  and  Lincoln  men  fought  for  every 
inch  of  advantage  in  this  state,  and  when  the  votes  were 
counted  Douglas's  great  popularity  was  shown  by  his 
falling  below  Lincoln  in  his  home  state  by  only  13,000 
votes  in  a  total  of  330,000  votes  cast. 

Lincoln's  Training.  Many  thought  Lincoln  unfit  for 
the  great  office,  but  his  preparation  was  better  than  they 
knew.  He  had  drunk  the  cup  of  poverty  and  associated 
with  the  poor.  As  farm-hand,  as  rail-splitter,  as  flat-boat- 
man, as  sawmill  tender,  as  grocery-keeper,  as  militiaman, 
as  surveyor,  as  lawyer,  as  member  of  the  Legislature  and 
Congressman,  Lincoln  knew  every  phase  of  life  and  all 
classes  of  people,  and  they  believed  in  him.  He  had  known 
years  of  trial  and  disappointment,  which  was,  in  itself,  fine 
training  for  the  heavy  load  he  was  now  to  carry. 

Slave  States  Secede.  Soon  after  Lincoln's  election 
South  Carolina  seceded  from  the  Union,  followed  quickly 
by  six  other  slave  states.  Every  lover  of  the  flag  was 
downcast,  and  the  whole  country  looked  anxiously  to 
Lincoln  with  some  hopes,  but  with  many  fears,  for  he  was 
yet  an  untried  man,  and  an  awful  burden  lay  upon 
his  shoulders. 

Bids  His  Neighbors  Farewell.  Lincoln  left  Spring- 
field for  Washington,  February  11,  1861,  and  his  friends 
and  neighbors  gathered  about  him  at  the  station  to  bid 
him  farewell.  He  addressed  them  briefly,  saying: 

"My  friends,  no  one,  not  in  my  situation,  can  appre- 
ciate my  feelings  of  sadness  at  this  parting.  To  this 
place,  and  the  kindness  of  these  people,  I  owe  everything. 
Here  I  have  lived  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  have  passed 
from  a  young  to  an  old  man.  Here  my  children  have 
been  born  and  one  is  buried.  I  now  leave,  not  knowing 
when  or  whether  ever  I  may  return,  with  a  task  before 
me  greater  than  that  which  rested  upon  Washington. 


NOMINATION  AND  ELECTION  OF  LINCOLN  235 

Without  the  assistance  of  that  Divine  Being  who  ever 
attended  him,  I  cannot  succeed.  With  that  assistance, 
I  cannot  fail.  Trusting  in  Him  who  can  go  with  me,  and 
remain  with  you,  and  be  everywhere  for  good,  let  us  con- 
fidently hope  that  all  will  yet  be  well.  To  His  care  com- 
mending you,  as  I  hope  in  your  prayers  you  will  commend 
me,  I  bid  you  an  affectionate  farewell." 

TOPICS  FOR  THOUGHT  AND  STUDY 

1.  Bring  to  class  an  account  of  an  incident  in  the  life  of  Lin- 
coln that  you  have  read  from  some  book  in  the  library  or  at  home. 

2.  Recite  five  facts  concerning  Lincoln's  life  that  are  given  in 
his  autobiography. 

3.  Describe  the  scenes   attending  the   nomination   of    Lincoln. 

4.  Upon  what  issue  did  the   Democratic  party  divide  in  this 
campaign? 

LESSON   HELPS 

Leader  Wanted.  "Make  our  Lincoln  your  leader;  he  has  a 
heart  that  we  can  trust,"  and  Lincoln  was  made  the  heart  of  the 
people  in  the  great  cause  of  human  rights.  Lincoln,  who  had  been 
true  to  his  father,  when  the  experience  had  cost  him  years  of. toil- 
some life.  Lincoln,  who  had  pitied  the  slave  in  the  New  Orleans 
market,  and  whose  soul  had  cried  to  heaven  for  the  scales  of  Justice. 
Lincoln,  who  had  protected  the  old  Indian  amid  the  gibes  of  his 
comrades.  Lincoln,  who  had  studied  by  pine-knots,  made  poetry 
on  old  shovels,  and  read  law  on  the  lonely  roads.  Lincoln,  who 
had  a  kindly  word  for  everybody,  and  yet  carried  a  sad  heart. 
Lincoln,  who  had  resolved  that  in  law  and  politics  he  would  do  just 
right  — HEZEKIAH  BUTTERWORTH. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

Nomination  of  Lincoln.     Scribner's  Magazine,  Vol.  14,  Page  654. 
Life  of  Lincoln.     McClure,  Vol.  7,  Page  79;  Vol.  8,  Page  43. 
Illinois  and  Her  Noted  Men.     Gillespio. 
Decisive  Dates  in  Illinois  History.     Jones. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

Let  the  American  youth  never  forget  that  they  possess  a  noble 
inheritance,  bought  by  the  toils  and  sufferings  and  blood  of  their 
ancestors;  and  capable,  if  wisely  improved  and  faithfully  guarded, 
of  transmitting  to  their  latest  posterity  all  the  substantial  blessings 
of  life,  the  peaceful  enjoyment  of  liberty,  of  property,  of  religion, 
and  of  independence.  — JOSEPH  STORY. 

ILLINOIS  IN  THE  WAR 
STEPHEN   A.   DOUGLAS 


Foresees  Defeat  and  Pleads  for  Union.  The  split  in 
the  Democratic  party  made  it  impossible  for  either  the 
northern  or  southern  wing  to  elect  their  candidate,  and 
Douglas  realized,  long  before  the  election,  that  he  could 
not  win.  When  he  heard  during  his  tour  of  speech-making, 
that  the  Republicans  were  gaining  strength  in  the  North, 
he  said,  "Lincoln  is  the  next  President.  I  have  no  hope 
and  no  destiny  before  me  but  to  do  my  best  to  save  the 
Union  from  overthrow.  Now  let  us  turn  our  course  to 
the  South." 

He  proceeded  through  the  heart  of  the  cotton  states 
making  speech  after  speech,  appealing  to  the  maddened 
southerners  not  to  lift  their  hands  against  the  Union  their 
fathers  had  made.  His  plea  was  noble,  full  of  patriotism 
and  love  for  the  old  constitution,  but  the  South  would 
not  hear. 

His  Following.  The  November  election,  1860,  gave 
Lincoln  180  electoral  votes,  while  Douglas  had  only  12, 

236 


ILLINOIS    IN   THE    WAR  237 

having  carried  but  one  state.  But  in  the  votes  of  the 
people,  he  was  not  far  below  Lincoln,  who^e  total  was 
1,866,452,  while  Douglas's  was  1,376,957. 

No  other  statesman — not  even  Henry  Clay — ever  had 
a  more  devoted  following  than  the  "Little  Giant,"  and 
these  million  voters  looked  to  him  for  guidance.  For 
twenty-five  years,  when  he  came  before  the  people,  Douglas 
had  never  suffered  defeat.  The  great  question  of  that 
hour  was,  whether  he  would  swing  these  million  followers 
to  the  support  of  Lincoln  and  the  Union,  or  whether  the 
North  was  to  be  broken  by  party  hatred  and  the  South 
to  be  allowed  to  separate  in  peace.  Douglas's  attitude 
toward  Lincoln  was  manly.  When  Lincoln  arose  to  give 
his  inaugural  address,  and  was  looking  awkwardly  about 
for  a  place  to  lay  his  hat  that  he  might  adjust  his  glasses, 
Douglas  came  forward  and  gracefully  took  it  from  his  hand. 
This  courteous  act  was  taken  to  mean  that  he  proposed  to 
support  Lincoln  in  defending  the  flag. 

A  True  Patriot.  Defeat  only  served  to  show  more 
clearly  than  before  the  nobleness  and  true  patriotism  of 
Douglas.  He  returned  to  Congress  to  labor  night  and  day, 
in  season  and  out  of  season,  to  save  the  Union.  He  begged 
and  pleaded  with  the  Republicans  of  the  North  and  Dem- 
ocrats of  the  South,  to  adjust  their  differences  by  each  side 
yielding  a  little.  He  said  he  was  willing  to  give  up  his 
doctrine  of  "Popular  Sovereignty"  and  to  restore  the 
Missouri  Compromise  line,  if  that  would  satisfy  both 
sections.  The  Republicans  were  willing  to  yield  to  every 
demand  except  slavery  in  the  territories,  but  the  stubborn 
slave  power  would  yield  not  one  inch  of  advantage.  South- 
ern men  now  withdrew  from  Congress  to  join  the  Confeder- 
ate army,  and  rebel  guns  were  soon  trained  at  the  Stars 
and  Stripes  above  Fort  Sumter.  But  Douglas  did  not  live 
to  see  the  end  of  the  awful  strife. 


238  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  "Little  Giant"  Supports  "Honest  Abe."  Before 
the  booming  of  the  cannon  died  away  Douglas  was  closeted 
with  Lincoln  at  the  White  House — the  two  leading  men 
of  the  nation,  both  from  Illinois — devising  means  of  saving 
the  country.  One  historian  says  that  it  was  the  "most 
momentous  conference  ever  held  on  the  western  hemi- 
sphere." What  the  former  rivals  said  to  each  other  in 
that  critical  hour  we  do  not  know,  but  from  what  occurred 
afterward  we  know  that  Douglas  promised  to  swing  the 
entire  northern  wing  of  the  Democratic  party  to  the  support 
of  "Honest  Abe"  in  saving  the  Union.  Without  this 
support  Lincoln  could  not  hope  to  hold  the  country  together; 
with  it,  he  not  only  saved  the  Union  but  blotted  out  the 
curse  of  slavery  from  our  soil. 

Urges  North  to  Stand  By  the  Flag.  After  the  important 
conference  with  President  Lincoln,  Douglas  stated  his 
position  to  the  newspaper  men,  and  it  was  published  and 
read  from  ocean  to  ocean.  He  said  that  he  was  prepared 
to  sustain  the  President  in  preserving  the  Union  and  main- 
taining the  government.  He  said  that  the  Capital  was  in 
danger  and  must  be  defended  at  all  hazards,  and  at  any 
expense  of  men  and  money.  Senator  Douglas  immediately 
left  Washington  and  traveled  through  the  country,  arous- 
ing the  people  with  his  own  loyal  sentiments  as  no  other 
man  could.  He  was  never  before  so  earnest,  and  had  never 
before  spoken  with  such  power. 

Douglas  at  Springfield.  Douglas  finally  went  to  his 
own  state  capitol,  and  spoke  before  both  houses  of  the 
Legislature.  The  South,  he  claimed,  had  no  cause  that 
would  justify  their  "mad  attempt  to  overthrow  the  Repub- 
lic." He  said  he  had  labored  for  some  compromise  to  avert 
war,  but  that  now  there  was  but  one  thing  to  do:  "Forget 
party,  remember  only  your  country.  Allow  me  to  say  to 
my  old  friends,  that  you  will  be  false  and  unworthy  of  your 


JOHN  A.   LOGAN 


OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILiMJIS     ^ 


ILLINOIS   IN   THE   WAR  241 

principles,  if  you  allow  political  defeat  to  convert  you 
into  traitors.  The  shortest  way  now  to  peace  is  the  most 
stupendous  preparation  for  war." 

Douglas  at  Chicago.  His  Last  Speech.  From  Spring- 
field, the  "Little  Giant"  hastened  to  Chicago,  where  a 
vast  crowd  received  him  in  the  Wigwam  where  Lincoln 
had  been  nominated.  Again  he  urged  all  Americans,  and 
faithful  Democrats  especially,  to  stand  by  the  Union. 
"There  are,"  he  said,  "only  two  sides  to  this  question: 
every  man  must  be  for  the  United  States  or  against  it. 
.  .  .  There  can  be  no  neutrals  in  this  war, — only  patriots 
and  traitors.  ...  I  express  it  as  my  conviction  before 
God,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every  American  citizen  to  rally 
around  the  flag  of  his  country.  .  .  .  Illinois  has  a 
proud  position, — united,  firm,  determined  never  to  per- 
mit the  government  to  be  destroyed.  ...  So  long 
as  hope  of  peace  remained  I  pleaded  and  implored  for 
compromise.  Now  that  all  else  has  failed,  there  is  but 
one  course  left,  to  rally  as  one  man  to  the  flag  of  Wash- 
ington, Jefferson,  Hamilton,  Madison,  and  Franklin." 
The  great  audience  listened  with  breathless  interest,  and 
again  and  again  broke  into  the  wildest  applause. 

Loyal  to  the  Last.  As  those  patriotic  words  fell  from 
the  lips  of  Douglas,  they  were  telegraphed  over  the  land 
and  read  by  millions,  from  ocean  to  ocean.  Thousands 
were  awaiting  the  word  of  their  leader,  and  no  one 
can  measure  the  part  that  Douglas  took  in  uniting  all 
Northerners  to  preserve  and  protect  the  flag.  Douglas 
lived  but  a  few  months  longer,  but  long  enough  to  see 
his  supporters  springing  to  arms  and  marching  to  the 
front.  Less  than  three  months  after  the  firing  upon  Ft. 
Sumter,  Douglas  lay  upon  his  death  bed  at  the  Tremont 
House,  Chicago,  sending  this  last  message  to  his  sons 
who  were  far  away:  "Tell  them  to  obey  the  laws  and 


242 


support  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States."     These 
were  his  last  words. 

RICHARD   YATES 

Important  Position  of  Illinois.  The  stand  taken  by 
Illinois  in  the  war  was  of  supreme  importance.  Our  state 
extended  farther  south,  and  nearer  to  the  heart  of  the 
"Cotton  Kingdom"  than  any  other  free  state,  Cairo  being 
in  the  same  latitude  as  Richmond,  Virginia. 

There  were  then  almost  no  railroads  running  from 
north  to  south,  and  for  transporting  troops  and  supplies 
for  the  great  armies,  the  Mississippi  and  its  tributaries — • 
the  Ohio,  Missouri,  Tennessee  and  Cumberland — were  of 
vast  consequence.  Whoever  held  Illinois  would  control 
all  these  waterways,  by  planting  cannon  at  Cairo.  For 
another  reason  Cairo  was  important.  It  was  the  southern 
terminus  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad.  Here,  too,  was 
the  natural  starting  point  for  Union  armies  going  south. 

Morever,  Illinois  was  bordered  on  two  sides  by  the 
slave  states  of  Kentucky  and  Missouri,  and  the  action  of 
our  state  toward  the  Union  would  exert  a  strong  influence 
on  the  stand  of  these  two  border  slave  states.  So,  it  was 
evident  that  Illinois  was  the  keystone  of  the  Union  in  this 
conflict,  and  many  were  anxious  to  see  if  she  would  uphold 
the  hands  of  her  noble  son  in  the  White  House. 

Loyalty  of  Governor  Yates.  In  his  inaugural  address 
given  three  months  before  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  Governor 
Richard  Yates,  of  Illinois,  said  that  the  people  of  this 
great  Mississippi  valley  would  never  consent  to  let  any 
portion  of  it  pass  to  any  other  government,  and  then  be 
required  to  pay  a  tax  on  all  goods  sent  down  this  important 
waterway.  "Before  that  day  shall  come,"  he  said,  "the 
banks  of  the  'Father  of  Waters'  will  be  a  continuous  sepul- 
cher  of  the  slain."  On  the  question  of  the  union  of  the 


ILLINOIS   IN   THE   WAR  243 

states,  he  declared  that  Illinois  would  stand  firm.  "The 
foot  of  the  traitor  has  never  yet  blasted  the  green  sward 
of  Illinois.  All  the  running  waters  of  the  Northwest  are 
waters  of  freedom  and  union;  and  come  what  will,  as  they 
glide  to  the  great  Gulf,  they  will  by  the  Ordinance  of  1787, 
and  by  the  higher  ordinance  of  Almighty  God,  bear  only 
free  men  and  free  trade  on  their  bosoms." 

Governor  Yates  took  a  bold,  fearless  stand  for  the 
Union,  and  by  his  patriotic  words  and  vigorous  deeds 
aroused  the  Prairie  State,  from  the  Wisconsin  line  to 
Cairo,  to  do  its  full  share  in  putting  down  the  rebellion. 

Illinois  Answers  the  Call.  When  President  Lincoln 
called  for  seventy-five  thousand  men  to  defend  the  flag, 
Governor  Yates  lost  no  time  in  summoning  forth  the  sons 
of  Illinois.  Douglas  men  and  Lincoln  men  forgot  their 
differences,  and  hastened  to  enlist  in  the  ranks.  They 
came,  too,  in  such  numbers  that  our  share  of  the  call  was 
soon  filled,  and  many  had  to  be  turned  away. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  realizing  the  importance  of 
the  control  of  Cairo  for  the  Union,  telegraphed  Governor 
Yates  to  occupy  that  town  as  soon  as  he  had  mustered 
in  enough  troops  to  hold  it.  Our  energetic  war  governor 
did  not  wait  for  the  mustering  of  troops,  but,  in  less  than 
forty-eight  hours,  had  a  special  train  flying  thither,  bearing 
General  Swift,  of  Chicago,  with  four  batteries  of  artillery 
and  six  companies  of  infantry.  They  arrived  none  too  soon, 
for  a  force  of  Confederates  was  moving  in  that  direction. 

Southern  Sympathy.  You  will  remember  that  southern 
Illinois  was  settled  mainly  by  immigrants  from  slave 
states.  So,  a  good  many  people  of  our  southern  counties 
naturally  sympathized  with  the  South.  When  the  loyal 
people  in  one  of  those  southern  villages  had  called  a  meet- 
ing to  enlist  a  company  for  the  Union  army,  southern  sym- 
pathizers rushed  in  upon  the  meeting,  overpowered  the 


244  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Union  men,  tore  up  their  flag,  chopped  down  the  flag  pole 
they  had  just  raised,  and  broke  up  their  meeting. 

The  Union  men  wrote  to  Governor  Yates,  asking  what 
they  should  do  about  it.  He  told  them  to  call  another 
meeting,  get  a  flag  and  a  pole,  and,  if  the  disturbers  again 
interfered,  to  kill  as  many  as  possible.  "And  if  a  jury 
can  be  found  in  Illinois  that  will  convict  any  one  of  you  for 
defending  the  flag  of  your  country,  I  will  pardon  him." 

Under  the  patriotic  leadership  of  Yates,  Illinois  sent  into 
the  field  259,000  men  who  were  organized  into  156  regiments 
of  infantry,  seventeen  of  cavalry,  and  two  of  artillery. 
No  other  state  furnished  more,  save  Ohio  and  New  York. 

It  was  Illinois  troops  mainly  that  prevented  Missouri 
from  going  with  the  South;  it  was  largely  Illinois  troops 
that  bore  the  brunt  of  battle  in  Grant's  magnificent  cam- 
paign for  the  possession  of  the  Mississippi,  which  broke  the 
backbone  of  the  South. 

Illinois  at  Shiloh.  Illinois'  share  of  the  glory  of  these 
western  campaigns  may  be  well  illustrated  by  the  battle 
of  Shiloh.  A  large  percentage  of  the  men  in  the  ranks  in 
this  battle  were  from  the  Illinois  prairies,  and  they  proved 
themselves  brave  men.  A  large  proportion  of  the  men  who 
carried  the  muskets,  as  well  as  those  who  wore  the  shoulder 
straps  in  that  dreadful  conflict,  were  from  our  own  state. 
First  among  the  Union  generals  at  Shiloh  was  Ulysses  S. 
Grant,  ably  assisted  by  generals  McClernand,  Prentiss, 
Wallace,  Hurlburt,  McArthur  and  Stuart, — all  from 
Illinois,  and  they  were  all  heroes  in  that  fight.  The  only 
aide  to  Grant  who  did  not  hail  from  our  prairies  was 
General  Sherman. 

When  news  of  the  dreadful  carnage  at  Shiloh  reached 
Governor  Yates,  he  at  once  chartered  a  steamboat,  and 
was  soon  on  his  way  to  the  battlefield  with  physicians, 
nurses  and  medical  supplies,  to  care  for  the  wounded. 


ILLINOIS   IN   THE   WAR  245 

When  the  boat  touched  at  Pittsburg  Landing,  the  scene 
of  battle,  the  soldiers  had  heard  of  the  coming  and  mission 
of  the  Governor,  and  wherever  he  appeared  cheers  went  up 
for  "Dick  Yates  the  Soldiers'  Friend."  A  thousand  sick 
and  wounded  Illinois  boys  were  soon  carried  on  board  the 
steamboat.  Some  could  not  yet  be  moved,  so  dangerously 
were  they  wounded,  and  their  disappointment  was  pitiful. 
One  poor  fellow  said  bitterly,  that  he  would  be  entirely 
satisfied  if  he  could  only  go  home  to  die.  When  told  that 
the  Governor  was  coming  back  for  them,  he  asked:  "Does 
the  Governor  say  he  will  come  after  us?"  "He  does," 
was  the  reply.  "Then  he  will  come,"  said  the  dying  man, 
"Dick  Yates  never  broke  his  word  to  a  soldier."  When 
the  Governor  returned  this  poor  soldier  was  lying  in  his 
grave.  Of  all  the  many  loyal  state  governors  during  the 
war,  none  were  more  patriotic  and  untiring  in  supporting 
Lincoln  than  our  own  Governor — Richard  Yates. 

JOHN   A.   LOGAN 

Logan's  Boyhood.  From  childhood,  John  A.  Logan 
lived  on  the  borders  of  Kentucky  and  Missouri,  in  that 
extreme  southern  part  of  Illinois  known  as  "Egypt." 
His  father  was  a  country  doctor,  and  Logan  grew  up 
on  a  farm.  Even  as  a  boy,  Logan  believed  in  fair  play, 
and  always  gave  warning  of  what  might  be  expected 
from  him.  Once,  when  the  squirrels  were  destroying  his 
father's  corn,  Logan  was  set  to  guarding  the.  crop.  He 
wrote  out  in  his  boyish  handwriting  this  notice  and  posted 
it  on  a  tree  by  the  cornfield: 


I  give  notice  to  all  the  squirrels  to  keep  out  of  this 
cornfield.     If  they  don't  keep  out  they  will  be  shot. 

John  A.  Logan. 


246  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

A  Douglas  Democrat.  Logan's  mother  was  a  native 
of  the  South,  and  his  associates  had  always  been  southern 
people,  or  those  of  southern  parentage.  It  was  but  natural 
that  he  should  feel  a  sympathy  with  the  southland.  Edu- 
cated for  the  law,  Logan  early  entered  politics  as  a  follower 
of  Douglas,  and  was  elected  to  Congress.  He  thought 
Lincoln  and  the  Republicans  had  brought  all  the  trouble 
on  the  country,  and  said  so  in  strong  language. 

Demands  Free  Speech  for  All.  But  Logan  loved  the 
Union  and  the  old  flag  under  which  he  had  fought  in 
the  Mexican  War,  and  appreciated  the  liberties  guar- 
anteed by  that  flag,  one  of  which  was  the  right  of  free 
speech.  Though  he  disliked  the  Abolitionists,  he  thought 
they  had  a  right  to  speak  their  opinions.  Upon  one  occa- 
sion, when  Owen  Lovejoy  the  Abolitionist  arose  in  Congress 
to  make  a  speech  against  slavery,  several  southerners 
shook  their  clenched  fists  in  his  face,  and  dared  him  to 
utter  a  sentence,  at  the  peril  of  his  life.  Lovejoy.  insisted 
on  the  right  of  free  speech,  for  which  his  brother  had  Ipid 
down  his  life  at  Alton,  but  the  southerners  only  grew  more 
excited.  Suddenly,  Logan  appeared  at  Lovejoy's  side, 
saying,  "He  is  a  representative  from  Illinois,  the  state  that 
I  was  born  in,  and  which  I  also  have  the  honor  to  represent. 
He  must  be  allowed  to  speak  without  interruption,  other- 
wise I  will  meet  the  coward  or  cowards  outside  of  this 
House,  and  hold  them  responsible  for  further  indignities 
offered  to  Mr.  Lovejoy."  The  fire-eaters  knew  that  Logan 
meant  what  he  said,  and  so  took  their  seats  and  allowed 
Lovejoy  to  make  his  speech. 

Experiences  a  Change  of  Heart.  In  1860,  Logan  was 
sent  to  Charleston  to  help  nominate  Douglas  for  the 
Presidency.  Here  he  first  saw  the  auction-blocks  and 
slave-pens  of  the  South,  and  he  felt  in  his  heart  that  sla- 
very was  wrong,  and  that  he  could  no  longer  endorse  it. 


ILLINOIS   IN    THE    WAR  247 

Logan  at  Bull  Run.  When  the  boys  in  blue  and  those 
in  gray  were  marshaling  their  forces  upon  the  battlefield 
of  Bull  Run,  Logan  left  the  halls  of  Congress  and  hastened 
to  join  the  Union  Army,  where  he  fought  that  day  as  a 
private.  When  the  northern  army  broke  and  ran,  Logan 
tried  to  rally  them,  but  his  vigorous  language  did  not  stop 
them.  He  was  among  the  last  to  leave  the  field.  Someone 
asked  who  the  soldier  was  with  a  silk  hat,  and  was  told  that 
he  was  John  A.  Logan,  Congressman  from  Illinois.  Logan 
then  came  home  to  follow  the  flag,  and  if  need  be,  to  "hew 
his  way  to  the  Gulf."  He  found  many  people  in  "Egypt" 
undecided  whether  to  join  the  South  or  the  .North,  but  his 
loyalty  led  them  all,  save  a  few,  into  the  Union  Army. 
In  fact  his  district  furnished  more  Union  soldiers,  in  pro- 
portion to  its  population,  than  any  other  in  the  whole 
country. 

Loyalty  to  the  Union.  But  the  "Copperheads"  and 
disloyal  Democrats  taunted  Logan,  calling  him  an  Abo- 
litionist. He  replied,  "If  loving  the  flag  of  our  country 
and  standing  by  it  in  its  severest  struggle — if  that  makes 
us  Abolitionists  .  .  .  then  I  am  proud  to  be  an  Abolition- 
ist, and  I  wish  to  high  Heaven  that  we  had  a  million  more. 
.  .  .  The  man  that  today  can  raise  his  voice  against  the 
Constitution,  the  laws  of  the  Government,  with  the  design 
of  injuring  it  ...  should,  if  I  could  pass  sentence  upon 
hiui,  be  hung  fifty  cubits  higher  than  Haman,  until  his 
body  blackened  in  the  sun  and  his  bones  rattled  in 
the  wind." 

A  Valiant  Soldier.  Logan  soon  took  rank  as  our  great- 
est volunteer  soldier,  and  was  held  in  high  repute  as  a 
general.  In  battle  he  always  sought  the  post  of  danger 
where  the  blows  of  death  fell  thickest.  "Fearless  as  a  lion, 
he  was  in  every  part  of  the  field,  and  seemed  to  infuse 
every  man  of  his  command  with  a  part  of  his  own  indom- 


248  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

itable  energy  and  fiery  valor."  Bareheaded,  he  often  rode 
along  the  battle  line,  encouraging  his  men.  Upon  one 
occasion  he  was  sitting  upon  his  black  stallion,  too  far  in 
front  of  his  command,  when  another  general  rebuked  him 
for  exposing  himself.  Logan  replied  that  he  didn't  care  a 
continental  where  he  was,  so  long  as  he  got  into  that  fight. 
Remembers  Faithful  Veterans.  After  he  had  shown 
his  splendid  bravery  on  a  score  of  battlefields,  and  the 
Union  was  saved,  Logan  came  home  to  serve  his  state 
in  the  Senate.  He  never  forgot,  in  the  honors  of  later 
years,  the  battle-scarred  patriots  who  had  followed  him 
to  victory  at  Vicksburg,  Chattanooga,  and  Atlanta. 

ULYSSES   S.   GRANT 

Unknown  and  Unsuccessful  at  Thirty-nine.  When  the 
war  cloud  darkened  the  sky  in  '61,  there  was  working 
in  a  leather  store  in  Galena,  Illinois,  a  man  who  had  grad- 
uated at  West  Point,  and  had  served  with  honor  in  the 
Mexican  war  as  "a  captain.  But  he  had  resigned  to  enter 
business  life,  in  order  to  better  provide  for  his  family  of 
six.  He  had  tried  various  occupations— farming,  real 
estate,  and  politics,  but  in  each  he  had  failed.  At  last  his 
father,  disappointed  at  his  son's  failures,  gave  him  this 
position  as  clerk  in  his  store.  This  soldier's  name  was 
Captain  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Captain  Grant  had  resided  in  Galena  almost  a  year, 
but  few  people  knew  him,  because  he  lived  such  a  quiet  life. 
He  talked  so  little  that  he  has  been  called  the  "Silent  Man." 

Back  to  the  Army.  The  people  of  Galena  were  soon 
enlisting  a  company  for  the  war,  and  knowing  that  this 
''Silent  Man"  had  been  a  soldier,  because  he  sometimes 
wore  the  only  blue  army  overcoat  in  town,  they  called 
upon  him  to  help  organize  the  company.  Captain  Grant 


ULYSSES   S.   GRANT 


OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


ILLINOIS   IN   THE   WAR  251 

seemed  to  know  so  much  about  drilling,  equipping  and 
getting  the  boys  ready  for  the  war,  that  they  offered  .to 
make  him  captain  of  their  company;  but  he  declined, 
because  after  his  long  service,  he  thought  he  ought  not  to 
accept  a  lower  command  than  that  of  colonel  of  a  regiment. 
However,  he  agreed  to  go  with  the  company  to  Spring- 
field, and  to  assist  them  until  they  were  mustered 
into  service. 

Goes  Begging  for  a  Regiment.  At  Springfield,  he 
found  Governor  Yates'  office  thronged  twenty  rows  deep 
with  office-seekers.  After  days  of  waiting,  Grant  was 
admitted  to  the  Governor's  presence  to  say  that  the  "Joe 
Daviess  Guards"  from  Galena  were  ready  to  be  mustered 
in,  and  that  he  would  like  to  serve  his  state  in  some  capacity. 
The  Governor  simply  said:  "I'm  sorry  to  say,  Captain, 
there  is  nothing  for  you  to  do  now.  Call  again." 

Grant's  bearing  was  not  that  of  a  trained  soldier,  and 
he  was  not  in  the  habit  of  boasting  of  his  ability.  There 
was  nothing  to  indicate  to  the  Governor  that  this  plain 
man  had  the  qualities  of  a  great  general.  Since  no  impor- 
tant politicians  were  urging  Grant's  appointment,  he  was 
put  aside  for  others,  some  of  whom  proved  totally  unfit 
for  army  office. 

His  Loyalty.  Grant  departed  from  the  Governor's 
office  sorely  disappointed.  He  had  left  home  with  a  slen- 
der purse,  and  was  in  no  position  to  wait  long.  He  said 
to  a  friend:  "I'm  going  home.  The  politicians  have 
got  everything  here,  there's  no  chance  for  me.  I  came 
down  because  I  felt  it  my  duty.  The  government  educated 
me,  and  I  felt  I  ought  to  offer  my  services  again.  I  have 
applied,  to  no  result.  I  can't  afford  to  stay  here  longer, 
and  I'm  going  home. 

Rejected  at  Home — Applies  Elsewhere.  The  Governor, 
however,  needed  some  experienced  soldiers  to  help  muster 


252  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

in  the  many  companies  now  gathering  at  Springfield,  and 
he  asked  Grant  to  aid  in  this  work.  In  mustering  the 
Seventh  District  regiment,  Grant  made  a  favorable  impres- 
sion upon  the  men  and  officers.  However,  their  colonel 
had  already  been  appointed,  and  there  was  no  chance 
here  for  him.  It  looked  as  though  his  home  state  would 
offer  him  no  command,  so  he  made  his  way  to  St.  Louis. 
But  Missouri  had  no  place  for  him.  He  applied  to  the 
Governor  of  Indiana,  with  the  same  result,  and  he  set 
out  for  Ohio,  his  native  state,  hoping  to  receive  a  regiment 
of  "Buckeyes"  to  lead  against  the  South,  or  to  secure  a 
place  on  the  staff  of  General  McClellan,  a  comrade  of  the 
Mexican  war,  who  now  commanded  the  Department  of' 
the  Ohio.  For  two  days,  Grant  tried  to  see  McClellan  at 
his  headquarters  in  Cincinnati,  but  failed. 

Appeals  to  Washington.  Meantime,  Grant  had  written 
to  the  War  Department  at  Washington,  but  his  letter  was 
unanswered.  The  letter  was  somehow  misplaced,  and  never 
reached  the  eyes  of  Lincoln  nor  the  War  Secretary.  The 
government  was  in  sore  need  of  just  such  experienced 
soldiers  to  organize  and  drill  the  raw  armies,  but  such  was 
the  pressure  for  office  that  the  wrong  men  often  got  the 
responsible  places. 

While  in  Cincinnati,  Grant  met  an  old  boyhood  friend 
who  begged  him  to  wait  there  while  he  himself  went  to 
Columbus.  He  told  Grant  there  ought  to  be  a  command 
fer  him  somewhere. 

Offered  Two  Regiments.  When  his  friend  returned 
from  the  Ohio  capital,  with  a  commission  appointing 
Grant  colonel  of  the  Twelfth  Ohio  regiment,  he  found  the 
"West  Pointer"  already  rejoicing  over  a  telegram  from 
Governor  Yates,  asking:  "Will  you  accept  the  command 
of  the  Seventh  District  regiment?"  Grant  had  already 
accepted  the  Illinois  command,  but  Ohio  almost  robbed 


ILLINOIS   IN  THE   WAR  253 

the  Prairie  State  of  the  glory  of  sending  to  the  front  this 
man  from  Galena,  who  was  destined  to  become  the  greatest 
Union  general  of  the  Civil  War.  . 

Who  Discovered  Grant.  Grant's  appointment  came 
about  in  this  way.  The  colonel  of  the  Seventh  District 
regiment,  the  Twenty-first  Illinois,  had  lost  control  of  his 
men.  A  bread  riot  broke  out  in  the  regiment  and  sol- 
diers had  burned  the  guard  house.  The  men  were  foraging 
among  the  farmers,  stealing  chickens  and  pigs.  The 
disorderly  behavior  of  the  troop  at  last  became  unbear- 
able. Since  the  colonel  could  not  stop  this  rowdyism, 
Governor  Yates  decided  that  a  change  must  be  made.  So 
he  called  the  officers  of  the  regiment  before  Lim  to  ascer- 
tain their  choice  for  the  position.  Having  seen  a  little  of 
Grant,  they  expressed  a  strong  preference  for  him,  and  the 
Governor  gave  him  the  appointment.  Grant  took  hold  of 
the  command  with  energy,  and  was  soon  off  to  the  war  with 
the  best  disciplined  regiment  in  the  state.  Lincoln  shortly 
afterward  made  Grant  Brigadier  General,  with  head- 
quarters at  Cairo. 

Two  Big  Jobs.  There  were  two  great  tasks  for  the 
Union  army  to  do,  in  order  to  conquer  the  seceded 
states  and  save  the  Union.  The  first  one  was  to  cap- 
ture the  rebel  forts  along  the  Mississippi.  This  would 
open  this  great  river  to  Union  boats  with  their  soldiers 
and  provisions,  and  it  would  cut  the  South  into  two 
parts.  The  other  task  was  to  capture  Richmond,  the 
rebel  capital. 

Grant  Opens  the  Mississippi.  Lincoln  gave  Grant  a 
large  army  and  a  fleet  of  gunboats,  and  told  him  to  haul 
down  the  rebel  flags  along  the  Mississippi,  and  this  unflinch- 
ing fighter  set  out  to  do  it.  He  captured  the  forts,  Henry 
and  Donelson,  defeated  a  great  rebel  army  at  Shiloh, 
and  completed  the  job  by  starving  them  out  of  Vicksburg. 


254  THE  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

Saves  a  Starving  Army.  Meantime,  the  Confederate 
General  Bragg  had  cooped  up  and  surrounded  a  large 
Union  army  under  Rosecrans,  in  Chattanooga,  and  was 
starving  them  into  surrender.  Since  Grant  had  not  thus 
far  failed  in  a  single  undertaking,  Lincoln  called  upon 
him  to  rescue  the  starving  Union  men.  The  sturdy  fighter 
from  Galena  made  short  work  of  it.  He  soon  carried  pro- 
visions to  the  hungry  troops,  and  sent  the  rebels  flying 
southward  with  General  Sherman  in  pursuit. 

The  Other  Task  Still  Undone.  For  three  long  years, 
Lincoln  had  been  looking  for  a  general  who  could  whip 
Robert  E.  Lee  and  capture  Richmond.  General  after 
general,  with  immense  armies  had  tried  it,  only  to  fail. 
McClellan,  McDowell,  Burnside,  Hooker,  and  Meade,  each 
in  turn,  marched  upon  Richmond,  but  Lee  with  a  smaller 
army  drove  them  back  one  by  one,  and  himself  had  threat- 
ened the  city  of  Washington. 

Succeeds  George  Washington.  Oongress  now  created 
the  high  office  of  Lieutenant  General,  a  position  hitherto 
held  only  by  George  Washington.  Lincoln  promptly 
gave  this  great  command  to  Grant,  turned  over  to  him 
the  control  of  all  the  Union  armies,  and  sent  him  after 
Lee.  For  months  Grant  hammered  away  at  Lee's  fortifi- 
cations, saying  that  he  would  fight  it  out  on  that  line  if 
it  took  all  summer.  He  finally  made  it  so  hot  for  that 
famous  general  that  he  abandoned  Richmond  and  retreated, 
only  to  be  surrounded  by  Grant  and  forced  to  surrender. 

Within  four  years,  nearly  half  a  million  men  went  to 
their  graves,  that  the  Union  might  be  preserved  and  the 
nation  freed  from  slavery.  Boys  and  girls  of  Illinois  may 
take  just  pride  in  knowing  that  no  other  soldier  con- 
tributed so  much  to  that  mighty  achievement  as  the  modest 
clerk  of  Galena,  who  was  almost  unknown,  even  among  his 
own  townsmen,  when  the  war  began. 


255 


What  the  People  Thought  of  Abraham  Lincoln.     The 

world  knew  little  of  the  splendid  character  of  Lincoln 
and  of  his  ability  to  manage  men  when  he  entered  the 
White  House.  The  South  heaped  abuse  and  ridicule  upon 
the  "Black  Republican  President,"  while  even  the  North 
had  many  doubts,  because  he  was  yet  untried.  Many 
Northerners  believed  that  Lincoln,  would  never  be  any- 
thing but  the  tool  of  Chase  or  Seward,  or  whoever  proved 
the  strong  man  in  his  cabinet. 

The  Shrewdness  and  Foresight  of  Lincoln.  When 
Lincoln  went  to  Washington,  the  South  thought  there 
would  be  no  war  because  the  North  was  not  united  on 
the  slavery  question,  and  not  likely  to  be.  But  Abraham 
Lincoln  was  a  far-sighted  man.  In  his  inaugural  address 
he  put  slavery  in  the  background  and  made  the  Union 
first.  About  slavery,  he  simply  said  he  had  no  right  and 
no  inclination  to  interfere  with  it  in  the  states  where  it 
existed,  but  that  he  meant  to  prevent  its  spread  to  the 
territories.  The  Union  he  would  maintain. 

Sometime  afterward,  Lincoln  made  this  reply  to  the 
fault-finding  of  Horace  Greely:  "My  paramount  object 
in  this  struggle  is  to  save  the  Union,  and  is  not  either  to 
save  or  destroy  slavery.  If  I  could  save  the  Union  without 
freeing  any  slave  I  would  do  it;  and,  if  I  could  save  it  by 
freeing  all  the  slaves  I  would  do  it;  and,  if  I  could  save  it  by 
freeing  some  and  leaving  others  alone,  I  would  also  do  that. 
What  I  do  about  slavery  and  the  colored  race,  I  do  because 
I  believe  it  helps  to  save  the  Union;  and  what  I  forbear, 
I  forbear  because  I  do  not  believe  it  would  help  to  save 
the  Union.  ...  I  shall  adopt  new  views  so  fast 
as  they  shall  appear  to  be  true  views."  The  shrewd  Lin- 
coln thought  he  might  not  be  able  to  unite  the  North  and 


256  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

bring  it  to  the  fighting  point  on  the  question  of  slavery, 
but  he  believed  that  all  Northerners  loved  the  Union  and 
the  flag,  and  for  these  they  would  fight. 

Afraid  to  Strike  First.  The  South  did  not  want  a  war, 
least  of  all  did  they  want  to  strike  the  first  blow.  In  any 
fight,  it  always  looks  bad  for  the  party  that  strikes  first, 
unless  he  has  right  on  his  side.  The  South  hoped  if  there 
must  be  a  fight  that  Lincoln  would  begin  it. 

Now,  "Honest  Abe"  was  far  too  wise  to  make  that 
mistake.  He  believed,  if  the  South  first  fired  upon  the 
flag  without  good  cause,  the  North  would  rise  as  one  man 
to  avenge  the  insult.  Besides,  it  would  put  the  .South  in'a 
bad  light  with  foreign  countries  from  whom  they  expected 
help,  and  with  the  border  slave  states  that  had  not  yet  left 
the  Union.  So,  Lincoln  played  a  waiting  game.  Week 
after  week  he  waited  patiently  for  the  South  to  fire  the 
first  gun.  Many  began  to  criticise  the  President  for  his 
attitude  of  delay,  but  Lincoln  knew  what  he  was  about. 

Attempts  to  Get  Sumter  Without  a  Battle.  The  South 
held  nearly  every  fort  in  their  territory  except  Fort  Sum- 
ter, in  Charleston  harbor.  They  had  again  and  again 
summoned  its  brave  commander,  Captain  Anderson,  to 
give  it  up,  but  he  told  them  he  did  not  propose  to  haul 
down  the  Stars  and  Stripes  unless  Lincoln  ordered  him 
to  do  so,  that,  if  they  got  that  fort,  they  would  have  to 
fight  for  it.  Being  unwilling  to  fire  the  first  gun,  they  sent 
commissioners  to  Washington  to  prevail  upon  Lincoln  to 
give  up  Sumter.  They  found  that  Lincoln  had  made  up 
his  mind  to  do  no  such  thing.  So  they  went  to  Secretary 
Seward  whom  they  considered  the  real  President. 

Seward,  who  had  perhaps  done  more  than  any  other 
anti-slavery  man  to  provoke  the  war,  now  weakened  and 
said  he  was  in  favor  of  giving  up  Ft.  Sumter.  He  told 
Lincoln  so.  Everybody,  even  General  Scott,  advised  the 


ILLINOIS   IN   THE   WAR  257 

President  to  abandon  Sumter,  but  the  people  now  found 
out  who  was  President. 

Lincoln  the  Real  President.  Supplies  in  the  fort  were 
low,  and  could  last  but  a  few  days.  There  was  no  way 
of  reaching  it  but  by  water,  for  the  rebels  had  surrounded 
it  with  an  army,  and  were  in  high  hopes  that  Anderson 
would  soon  have  to  leave  it  or  starve. 

Lincoln  now  informed  the  South  that  he  meant  to 
send  food  to  the  fort,  but  he  would  not  send  ammunition 
nor  men.  The  southern  men  could  no  longer  restrain 
themselves.  Unable  to  get  possession  in  any  other  way, 
and  being  unwilling  to  see  it  provisioned,  the  rebels  opened 
fire  upon  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  After  holding  out  grandly 
for  thirty-six  hours,  Anderson  surrendered.  Lincoln 
immediately  called  for  75,000  men  to  defend  the  flag, 
and  now  the  united  North  responded  with  300,000.  It  was 
the  supreme  patience  and  good  judgment  of  "Honest 
Abe"  that  united  the  North  and  saved  the  border 
states. 

His  Cabinet.  One  of  the  hardest  tasks  Lincoln  had 
was  choosing  his  cabinet  advisers.  He  wanted  the  strong- 
est men  in  the  country  to  help  him  guide  the  ship  of  state, 
so  the  people  would  have  confidence  in  him  and  stand 
by  him;  he  wanted,  so  far  as  possible,  to  get  men  who 
believed  as  he  did,  so  he  might  have  harmony  in  his  official 
family.  But,  he  put  the  Union  above  everything  else,  and 
determined  to  do  a  risky  thing — to  take  into  the  cabinet 
four  men  who  had  been  his  rivals.  Seward,  Chase,  Bates, 
and  Cameron  had  all  been  candidates  against  him  at 
Chicago,  and  now  he  asked  them  to  be  his  advisers.  Nobody 
thought  Lincoln  could  manage  them  or  hold  them  together. 
They  had  little  respect  for  the  "Rail-splitter."  Each  one 
expected  to  be  the  "boss,"  but  they  did  not  yet  know 
Abraham  Lincoln. 


258  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Lincoln's  Forgiving  Spirit.  It  made  no  difference  to 
the  great-souled  Lincoln  whether  these  statesmen  had 
slighted  or  mistreated  him,  if  they  could  only  help  him 
save  the  Union.  Stanton  had  gone  about  the  country 
saying  many  bitter  things.  He  had  called  Lincoln  "Old 
Ape,"  "Ignorant  Baboon,"  and  "The  Original  Gorilla," 
and  he  even  said  that  the  new  President  was  neither 
honest  nor  patriotic,  that  he  had  mismanaged  things 
terribly. 

Now,  Lincoln  soon  needed  a  strong  man  to  take  Cam- 
eron's place  as  Secretary  of  War,  and  he  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  Stanton  was  the  best  man  he  could  find.  He 
thought  Stanton  was  able  and  loyal  to  the  Union;  besides, 
the  people  believed  in  him,  so  he  was  called  into  Lincoln's 
cabinet.  Stanton  continued  to  be  haughty  and  overbear- 
ing toward  the  President,  but  Lincoln  patiently  endured 
the  slights. 

Once  when  Lincoln  was  entertaining  his  log-cabin 
cousin,  Dennis  Hanks,  in  the  White  House,  this  simple, 
quiet  guest  became  disgusted  with  the  conduct  of  Stanton 
and  urged  Lincoln  "to  kick  the  frisky  little  Yankee  out." 
But  Lincoln  replied:  "It  would  be  difficult  to  find  another 
man  to  fill  his  place."  The  lion-hearted  Stanton,  however, 
came  at  last  to  appreciate  the  greatness  of  Lincoln.  When 
the  President  lay  dead,  pierced  by  the  assassin's  bullet, 
Stanton  looked  upon  the  body,  saying,  "Now  he  belongs 
to  the  ages."  "Lincoln,"  he  later  declared,  "was  the  most 
perfect  ruler  of  men  the  world  has  ever  seen." 

Father  Abraham  Frees  the  Slave.  When  the  time  came 
that  Lincoln  thought  he  could  help  the  cause  of  the  Union 
by  setting  the  slaves  free,  he  called  his  cabinet  together. 
He  told  those  great  statesmen  that  he  had  decided  to  free 
the  slaves.  He  said  he  did  not  wish  their  advice  as  to 
whether  or  not  he  should  do  this,  for  he  had  already  prom- 


RICHARD   YATES 


L/BRAflY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


ILLINOIS   IN   THE   WAR  261 

ised  it  both  to  himself  and  to  his  Maker,  but  he  would  like 
their  opinions  as  to  how  best  to  put  his  proclamation 
into  effect.  Then,  with  a  stroke  of  his  pen,  he  freed  four 
million  slaves.  So  it  was  with  almost  every  great  question 
that  came  up.  Lincoln  always  listened  to  the  advice  of  his 
cabinet  and  everybody  else,  but  he  had  usually  made  up 
his  mind  beforehand  after  a  careful  consideration,  and  he 
seldom  changed  his  plans.  • 

Bearing  the  Nation's  Burdens.  During  the  darkest 
days  of  the  war,  when  the  northern  armies  had  met  with 
severe  defeat  and  terrible  loss  of  life  at  Chancellorsville, 
or  Fredericksburg,  and  when  there  was  mourning  in  almost 
every  home  in  the  land,  President  Lincoln  was  bearing  an 
awful  load  of  care  and  sorrow.  It  was  then  that  everybody 
was  criticising  and  blaming  him.  Delegation  after  dele- 
gation, committee  after  committee,  went  to  Washington 
to  protest  about  something,  and  Lincoln  with  his  mind 
weighed  down  and  his  hands  already  full,  had  to  listen 
patiently  to  all  this  petty  and  unjust  criticism. 

To  a  body  of  clergymen  who  came  to  complain  and  to 
tell  him  how  the  war  ought  to  be  managed,  Lincoln  said: 
"Gentlemen,  suppose  all  the  property  you  were  worth 
was  in  gold  and  you  had  put  it  in  the  hands  of  Blondin 
(the  famous  tight-rope  walker)  to  carry  across  the  Niagara 
river  on  a  rope.  Would  you  shake  the  cable,  or  keep 
shouting  at  him,  'Blondin,  stand  up  a  little  straighter — 
Blondin,  stoop  a  little  more — go  a  little  faster — lean  a 
little  more  to  the  north — lean  a  little  more  to  the  south'? 
No,  you  would  hold  your  breath  as  well  as  your  tongue, 
and  keep  your  hands  off  until  he  was  safe  over.  The 
government  is  carrying  an  enormous  weight.  Untold 
treasures  are  in  their  hands.  They  are  doing  the  best 
they  can.  Don't  badger  them.  Keep  silence  and  we  will 
get  you  safe  across," 


262  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Lincoln's  sad  face  seemed  to  grow  sadder,  and  his 
long,  thin  body  to  grow  thinner.  Often  he  could  neither 
eat  nor  sleep.  Stanton  once  said  to  a  friend:  "Many  a 
time  did  Lincoln  come  in  after  midnight  in  an  agony  of 
anxiety  occasioned  by  dispatches  he  had  received.  He 
Would  throw  himself  at  full  length  on  the  sofa  and  cry 
out:  'Stanton,  these  things  will  kill  me!  I  shall  go  mad! 
I  can't  stand  it!'  " 

Comforting  Words  From  a  Friend.  Among  those  who 
visited  the  White  House  during  those  dark  days  was  a 
company  of  ladies  who  found  the  President  in  deep  gloom. 
His  face  looked  as  if  it  never  smiled.  But  a  little  Quaker 
lady  spoke  words  of  comfort.  "Friend  Abraham,"  she 
said,  "thee  need  not  think  thee  stands  alone.  We  are 
praying  for  thee.  The  hearts  of  the  people  are  behind 
thee,  and  thee  cannot  fail.  Yea,  as  no  man  was  ever 
loved  before  does  this  people  love  thee.  Take  comfort, 
Friend  Abraham,  God  is  with  thee;  the  people  are 
behind  thee." 

"I  know  it,"  said  Lincoln,  with  trembling  voice.  "If 
I  did  not  have  the  knowledge  that  God  is  sustaining 
and  will  sustain  me  until  my  appointed  work  is  done,  I  could 
not  live.  If  I  did  not  believe  that  the  hearts  of  all  loyal 
people  were  with  me,  I  could  not  endure  it.  My  heart 
would  have  broken  long  ago.  .  .  .  You  have  given  a 
cup  of  cold  water  to  a  very  thirsty  and  grateful  man.  I  knew 
that  good  men  and  women  were  praying  for  me,  but  I  was 
so  tired  I  had  almost  forgotten.  God  bless  you  all." 

Popular  with  the  Plain  People.  During  these  years 
of  trial  and  worry,  the  plain  people  had  come  to  under- 
stand and  to  love  Lincoln.  They  had  read  and  appreciated 
his  stories  and  homely  wit.  His  noble  heart,  tender  sympa- 
thy and  rugged  honesty  had  won  him  hosts  of  friends 
everywhere.  Politicians  might  criticise  and  :  cheme  to  put 


ILLINOIS   IN   THE   WAR  263 

somebody  else  in  his  place,  but  the  millions  of  common 
people  declared  that  "Father  Abraham,"  as  they  lovingly 
called  him,  was  the  only  man  to  finish  up  that  cruel  war  and 
save  the  Union. 

The  end  of  his  four-year  term  was  approaching,  and 
the  discontented  were  looking  about  for  another  candi- 
date. They  asked  Grant  to  run,  but  that  hero  replied, 
"No,  my  place  is  with  the  army.  Lincoln  should 
be  reflected." 

Reelected.  When  the  Republican  Convention  met  at 
Baltimore,  in  June,  1864,  Illinois  again  presented  her 
noble  son,  Abraham  Lincoln.  A  roll  call  of  states  was 
then  taken.  One  state  after  another  answered:  "Solid 
for  Lincoln,"  until  all  but  one  of  the  thirty  states  and 
territories  had  voted  solidly  for  him.  The  Democrats  ran 
General  McClellan,  but  "Father  Abraham"  swept 
the  country. 

Both  North  and  South  Mourn.  Scarcely  had  Lincoln 
served  a  year  of  his  second  term,  when  the  southern  armies 
were  forced  to  surrender.  The  long  and  cruel  war  was 
over,  the  Union  was  saved,  and  the  slaves  were  forever 
free.  Amid  the  general  rejoicing,  the  world  was  over- 
whelmed with  sorrow  to  learn  that  the  noble  Lincoln  had 
been  struck  down  by  the  assassin's  bullet.  While  his 
body  was  being  carried  to  its  final  resting  place  on  the 
prairies  that  he  loved,  the  whole  country  was  in  mourning. 
The  South,  too,  grieved  because  it  felt  that  it  had  lost  a 
powerful  friend. 

Our  Supreme  Contribution.  Every  citizen  of  Illinois 
may  take  a  just  pride  in  the  service  of  her  sons  in  the 
Civil  War.  There  was  Douglas,  who  died  praying  for  the 
Union;  Richard  Yates,  our  patriotic  war  Governor,  who 
did  everything  in  his  power  to  uphold  the  cause  of  Lin- 
coln; Logan,  and  a  score  of  other  officers,  who  faced  Con- 


264  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

federate  guns  without  flinching;  and  the  tens  of  thousands 
of  men  from  Illinois,  who  displayed  their  bravery  on  many 
a  battlefield;  and  the  world-famous  General  Grant, 
who  led  the  Union  armies  to  victory;  and,  above  all,  the 
immortal  Lincoln,  who  gave  his  life  to  free  the  slaves  and 
to  preserve  the  Union.  "Greater  love  hath  no  man  than 
this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends." 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Write  a  short  biography  of  Stephen  A.  Douglas. 

2.  Name  five  incidents  in  the  life  of  Douglas  that  confirm  the 
statement  of  one  historian  that  in  courage  and  intellectual  ability 
he  was  superior  to  any  other  American  in  public  life  at  the  time. 

3.  Explain  how  the  geographic  position  of  Illinois  made  this 
state  an  important  factor  in  the  Civil  War. 

4.  What  can  you  say  of  the  character  and  deeds  of  Governor 
Yates? 

5.  Give  an  estimate  of  the  character  of  Logan  and  of  the  value 
of  his  services  to  the  Union. 

6.  Give  the  principal  events  in  the  life  of  Grant  from  1862  to 
1865. 

7.  Relate   an   incident   illustrating   the   sympathetic   nature   of 
Lincoln. 

LESSON   HELPS 

Illinois  in  the  Rebellion.  Almost  simultaneously  with  the  call 
for  troops,  enlistments  commenced,  and  within  ten  days  10,000 
volunteers  offered  service,  and  the  sum  of  near  $1,000,000  was 
tendered  by  patriotic  citizens  to  procure  supplies,  for  which  the 
State  in  sudden  emergency  had  made  no  provision. 

The  women  of  Illinois,  in  common  with  others  all  over  the  land, 
were  the  first  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  the  soldier.  In  this  they 
were  actuated  not  only  by  a  heroic  love  of  country,  but  their  kin- 
dred were  enduring  the  privations  of  war,  and  who  like  them  could 
feel  for  their  distress?  How  many  weary  sufferers  on  the  battle 
field,  and  in  the  lonely  hospital,  were  relieved  by  their  bounty  and 
cheered  by  their  presence,  none  but  the  recording  angel  can  tell. 

— From  Chapters  in  Illinois  History. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

v 

In  a  land  like  ours,  where  every  citizen  is  a  sovereign  and  where 
no  one  cares  to  wear  a  crown — every  year,  presents  a  battlefield  and 
every  day  brings  forth  occasion  for  the  display  of  patriotism. 

— WILLIAM  JENNINGS  BRYAN. 

LATER  TIMES   IN   CHICAGO 

Chicago's  First  Railroad.  The  very  year  that  the 
Illinois-Michigan  Canal  was  completed  (1848),  the  "iron 
horse"  made  its  first  appearance  in  Chicago.  This  loco- 
motive steamed  westward  on  the  newly  built  railroad 
for  Galena  and  the  Mississippi  River. 

Valuable  lead  mines,  known  for  a  hundred  years  to  the 
Indians  and  French,  had  early  attracted  American  miners 
and  settlers  to  Galena,  where  a  prosperous  city  grew  up, 
with  a  splendid  trade.  Up  to  this  time,  the  Galena  com- 
merce had  all  been  carried  to  the  East  by  water,  by  way  of 
New  Orleans.  Her  people  now  wished  to  trade  with  the 
giant  young  city  on  Lake  Michigan,  and  through  this  port 
with  the  East.  This  brought  about  the  Chicago  and  Galena 
Union  Railroad,  which  is  now  a  part  of  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  system. 

Chicago's  Wonderful  Location.  Four  years  later 
Chicago  was  connected  by  rail  with  the  Atlantic  seaboard, 
the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern,  and  the  Michigan 
Central,  both  tapping  Chicago  trade  in  1852.  With  this 
start,  other  railroads  came  rapidly,  for  it  was  easy  to  build 
across  the  level  prairies. 

The  upper  Mississippi  region  of  Wisconsin,  Minnesota, 
and  the  Dakotas  began  a  rapid  settlement  and  growth,  and 

265 


266  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

railroads  that  would  run  into  this  boundless  Northwest 
from  the  East  must  all  pass  around  the  southern  end  of 
Lake  Michigan,  through  Chicago.  Then,  too,  roads  from 
the  West  and  Southwest,  reaching  out  for  the  Great 
Lakes,  found  Chicago  to  be  the  nearest  port.  When  the 
time  came  to  connect  New  York  with  San  Francisco  by 
rail,  Chicago  was  again  found  to  be  in  a  direct  line. 

With  these  iron  rails  running  out  in  all  directions, 
Chicago  was  fast  becoming  a  railroad  center,  besides 
being  the  center  of  canal  and  lake  traffic  from  north  to 
south.  Situated  as  it  is  in  the  heart  of  the  continent, 
at  the  head  of  lake  navigation,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
finest  grain  and  stock-raising  section  in  the  world,  Chi- 
cago had,  by  1870,  developed  into  a  great  commercial 
center,  a  shipping  point,  the  seat  of  a  wholesale  and  retail 
distributing  trade,  of  grain  and  live  stock  markets,  of  meat 
packing  and  tanning  industries.  The  iron  ore  from  Lake 
Superior,  and  the  fuel  from  the  Illinois  coal  fields,  met 
here  to  build  up  important  iron  and  steel  works.  There 
were  at  that  time  300,000  people  living  in  the  city  limits, 
covering  thirty-six  square  miles. 

Chicago  had  raised  herself  out  of  the  mud  to  a  level 
from  eight  to  fourteen  feet  higher,  had  built  substantial 
waterworks,  paved  her  streets,  bridged  the  river  in  many 
places,  and  at  others  tunneled  beneath  it.  Chicago 
business  men  were  facing  the  future  with  enthusiasm  and 
bright  prospects,  when  a  dreadful  calamity  occurred. 

Swept  by  Fire.  On  Sunday  night,  October  8,  1871, 
the  city  of  Chicago  was  swept  by  fire.  A  little  before 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  flames  were  discovered  in  the 
barn  belonging  to  Patrick  O'Leary,  located  southwest  of  the 
heart  of  the  city.  The  season  had  been  very  dry,  little  rain 
having  fallen  for  six  weeks.  That  part  of  the  city  where 
the  fire  originated  was  built  up  chiefly  of  wooden  buildings, 


^nn[ggi 
-fqnnnnnnnn 


"CHICAGO  IN  ASHES" 


268  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

and,  besides  the  homes,  contained  some  lumber  mills  and  a 
match  factory.  There  was  a  high  wind  blowing  from 
the  southwest. 

The  Wind  Carries  Burning  Shingles.  Almost  instantly 
the  buildings  surrounding  the  barn  were  in  flames.  In 
thirty  minutes  the  fire  had  spread  over  the  entire  block 
and  had  overleapt  the  streets.  The  firemen  worked  hero- 
ically, but  they  were  powerless.  The  flames  were  sweeping 
the  earth  and  sky,  and  the  wind,  now  blowing  a  gale,  was 
carrying  burning  shingles  far  and  wide.  Fresh  fires  broke 
out  in  many  places,  as  much  as  a  mile  distant  from  the 
scene.  The  progress  of  the  conflagration  was  unparalleled. 
In  sixty  seconds  it  traversed  an  entire  block,  and  the 
frightened  people  fled  before  it  for  their  lives,  leaving 
to  its  fury  all  their  property  and  goods. 

Waterworks  Burn.  Throughout  the  night  the  fire 
raged  unchecked.  The  courthouse  bell  kept  up  its  warning 
to  the  people.  When  at  last,  this  building,  too,  was  sur- 
rendered to  the  flames,  the  janitor  set  the  bell  so  that  it 
continued  its  faithful  clanging,  until  it  fell  at  half-past  two 
in  the  morning.  The  waterworks  burned  and,  thereafter, 
there  was  no  water  at  hand  with  which  to  fight  the  flames, 
except  along  the  lake  front;  but  there  was  no  use  fighting. 
The  lake  crib,  although  two  miles  from  the  burned  district, 
would  have  been  destroyed,  except  for  the  all-night  fight 
of  the  keeper  and  his  wife. 

The  Business  and  Residence  Districts  in  Ashes.  Soon 
the  fire,  having  laid  low  the  entire  business  district,  now 
known  as  the  "Loop,"  approached  the  main  Chicago  River, 
beyond  which  was  the  north  side  residence  district  with 
its  thousands  of  fine  homes.  The  people  had  anxiously 
hoped  that  the  river  would  stop  the  fire,  but  the  roaring 
flames  leaped  easily  across,  and  all  hope  of  saving  this 
beautiful  residence  section  was  gone. 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


LATER   TIMES   IN   CHICAGO  271 

From  the  following  letter,  written  by  Mrs.  Mary 
Fales  to  her  mother,  we  get  a  vivid  picture  of  those 
awful  days: 

"Chicago,  October  10,  1871. 

Dear  Mamma:  You  have  probably  heard  of  our  fire, 
and  will  be  glad  to  know  that  we  are  safe,  after  much 
tribulation.  Sunday  night  a  fire  broke  out  on  the  west 
side,  about  three  miles  southwest  of  us.  The  wind  was 
very  high,  and  David  said  it  was  a  bad  night  for  a  fire. 
About  two  o'clock  we  were  awakened  by  a  very  bright 
light,  and  a  great  noise  of  carts  and  wagons.  .  .  .  They 
thought  the  fire  would  stop  when  it  came  to  the  river,  but 
this  proved  no  obstacle,  and  the  north  side  was  soon  on 
fire,  and  Wells  and  La  Salle  streets  soon  crowded  with  peo- 
ple going  north.  We  saw  that  with  such  a  wind  it  would 
soon  reach  our  neighborhood,  and  David  told  me  to  pack 
what  I  most  valued.  It  seemed  useless  to  pack  in  trunks, 
as  every  vehicle  demanded  an  enormous  price,  and  was 
engaged.  Several  livery  stables  were  already  burned,  and 
loose  horses  were  plenty.  One  of  the  Wheeler  boys  had  a 
horse  given  him  for  nothing  except  the  promise  to  lead  it 
to  a  safe  place.  .  .  .  Having  no  wagon,  it  was  of  no 
use  to  him,  and  David  took  it,  and  after  a  while,  succeeded 
in  finding  a  no-top  buggy.  We  felt  very  lucky  as  no  one 
around  could  get  either  horse  or  conveyance.  David 
packed  it  full  of  things,  set  me  and  himself  on  top,  and 
started  to  the  Hutchinson's. 

I  cannot  convey  to  you  how  the  streets  looked.  Every- 
body was  out  of  his  house  without  exception,  and  the 
sidewalks  were  covered  with  furniture  and  bundles  of  every 
description.  The  middle  of  the  street  was  a  jam  of  carts, 
carriages  and  wheelbarrows,  and  every  sort  of  vehicle — 
many  horses  being  led  along,  all  excited  and  prancing,  some 
running  away.  ...  I  was  glad  to  go  fast  for  the  fire 


272  THE   STORY  OF   ILLINOIS 

behind  us  raged,  and  the  whole  earth,  or  all  we  saw  of  it, 
was  a  lurid,  yellowish  red.  David  left  me  at  Aunt  Eng's 
and  went  for  another  load  of  things.  This  he  soon  brought 
back,  and  then  went  off  again,  and  I  saw  him  no  more  for 
seven  hours.  People  came  crowding  to  Aung  Eng's,  and 
the  house  was  full  of  strangers  and  their  luggage.  One 
young  lady,  who  was  to  have  had  a  fine  wedding  tomorrow, 
came  dragging  along  some  of  her  wedding  presents.  One 
lady  came  .  .  .  with  six  blankets  -full  of  clothing. 
Another  came  with  nurse  and  baby,  and,  missing  her  little 
boy,  went  off  to  look  for  him.  This  was  about  daylight, 
and  she  did  not  come  back  at  all.  Now  and  then  some- 
body's husband  would  come  back  for  a  moment,  but  there 
was  work  for  everybody,  and  they  only  stayed  long  enough 
to  say  how  far  the  fire  had  advanced  and  assure  us  of  safety. 
The  Hubbards  thought  they  were  safe  in  a  brick  house 
with  so  much  ground  around  it,  but  wet  their  carpets  and 
hung  them  over  the  wooden  facings  for  additional  safety. 
It  was  all  to  no  purpose.  David  saw  our  home  burn  and 
fall,  and  theirs  suffered  the  same  fate.  The  McCagg's 
large  house  and  stable  burned  in  a  few  minutes,  also  the 
New  England  Church  and  Mr.  Collyer's.  In  the  afternoon 
the  wind  blew  more  furiously,  the  dust  was  blinding,  the 
sky  gray  and  leaden,  and  the  atmosphere  dense  with 
smoke.  We  watched  the  swarms  of  wagons  and  people 
pass.  All  the  men  and  many  of  the  women  were  dragging 
trunks  by  cords  tied  to  the  handles,  and  children  were  carry- 
ing and  dragging  big  bundles.  Soon  they  said  Aunt  Eng's 
house  must  go  too.  Then  such  confusion  as  there  was! 
Everybody  trying  to  get  a  cart  and  none  to  be  had  at 
any  price.  After  a  while  two  of  the  gentlemen,  who  had 
wagons,  carried  their  wives  farther  north,  and  those  that 
were  left  watched  for  empty  wagons,  but  nobody  spoke  a 
word.  Mr.  Hutchinson,  David,  and  some  others,  were  tak- 


LATER  TIMES   IN   CHICAGO  273 

ing  things  out  and  burying  them,  and  many  of  the  ladies 
fairly  lost  their  wits.  Poor  Aunt  Eng  even  talked  of  sending 
home  a  shawl  that  somebody  left  there  long  ago.  David 
started  for  a  cart.  Again  he  was  successful,  and  got  an  old 
sand  cart  with  no  springs,  one  board  out  of  the  bottom,  with 
a  horse  that  had  not  been  out  of  the  harness  for  twenty-four 
hours.  .  .  .  The  west  side  was  safe,  but  to  get  there 
was  the  question.  The  bridges  were  blocked  and  some 
burned,  but  the  man  who  owned  the  cart  thought  we  could 
get  there.  .  .  .  Many  times  we  were  blocked  and  it 
seemed  as  though  the  fire  must  reach  the  bridge  before 
we  did.  But  we  were  much  too  well  off  to  complain.  Some 
carts  had  broken  down,  horses  had  given  out,  and  many 
people  were  walking  and  pulling  big  things,  and  seemed 
almost  exhausted.  Furniture  and  clothing  lay  all  along  the 
road.  The  fences  were  broken  in  all  the  unbuilt  fields,  and 
furniture  and  people  covered  every  yard  of  space.  After 
a  ride  of  two  hours  we  reached  Judge  Porter's  at  dusk, 
and  found  a  warm  welcome. 

Every  family  I  know  on  the  north  side  is  burned  out. 
I   can't   enumerate  them.     It   would   be   useless. 
We  were  the  only  ones  who  took  our  things  from  Aunt 
Eng's.    The  lady  with  six  bundles  left  five  behind  her.    The 
lady  with  four  servants     .     .     .     left  the  baby  and  nurse. 

I  never  felt  so  grateful  in  my  life  as  when  I  heard  the 
rain  pour  down  at  three  o'clock  this  morning.  That 
stopped  the  fire  .  .  .  David  says  the  piano  burned 
under  ground,  nothing  was  left  but  the  iron  plates.  The 
north  side  is  level,  as  is  the  burned  part  of  the  south  side, 
so  that  the  streets  are  not  distinguishable.  They  say 
that  people  in  every  class  of  life  are  out  of  doors.  The 
churches  are  full,  and  food  is  sent  to  them,  but  hardly 
anybody  has  any  to  spare.  I  will  write  again  soon. 

Lovingly  and  thankfully,  MARY." 


274  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  Results  of  the  Fire.  The  fire  raged  for  three  long 
days  and  nights,  destroying  the  best  residence  section  and 
the  entire  business  district.  The  burned  area  was  four 
miles  long  and  two-thirds  of  a  mile  wide.  Nearly  sixteen 
thousand  buildings  and  a  hundred  seventy-five  manufac- 
turing plants  were  in  ashes.  One-third  of  Chicago's 
population  was  homeless,  and  thousands  penniless.  The 
prices  of  food  soared,  though  fast  express  trains  brought 
load  after  load  to  the  stricken  city,  and  millions  of  dollars 
were  freely  given  to  its  relief. 

Real  estate  values  shrank,  and  many  sold  to  move 
away.  Hundreds  left  the  city,  predicting  that  Chicago 
would  never  recover.  Sad,  indeed,  were  the  faces  of  the 
multitude,  as  they  looked  upon  the  ashes  of  their  once 
beautiful  homes  and  fine  business  blocks.  Many,  however, 
believed  the  ruins  before  them  would  yet  become  a 
great  city. 

Nature  Planned  Chicago.  Long  before  man  appeared 
hi  the  western  wilderness.  Nature  called  in  convention 
the  Spirit  of  the  Prairies,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lakes,  and  the 
Spirit  of  the  Forests,  and  they  decided  that  on  this  spot 
there  should  some  day  arise  a  great  city.  The  Spirit  of 
the  Prairies  said  that  it  would  supply  vast  crops  of  grain 
and  herds  of  live  stock,  to  make  the  city  a  great  market. 
The  Spirit  of  the  Forests  promised  the  lumber,  while  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lakes  said  it  would  carry  the  immense  trade 
to  the  ocean  and  the  cities  of  the  East  and  bring  back 
from  the  northern  lakes  millions  of  tons  of  iron  and  copper 
ore,  building  stone  and  lumber,  to  make  the  future  city  a 
manufacturing  center.  The  only  other  thing  needed 
was  an  abundance  of  fuel.  "Good,"  said  the  Spirit  of  the 
Prairies.  "I  have  thousands  of  square  miles  of  fine  coal 
lands  not  far  away.  On  the  border  of  this  lake,  by  thi? 
river,  shall  the  city  be  built." 


LATER  TIMES   IN   CHICAGO  275 

Chicago  Rebuilt.  The  conflagration  had  indeed  checked, 
for  a  brief  time,  the  proud  city's  growth  and  prosperity, 
but  her  great  advantages  would  build  her  up  again  more 
wonderful  than  before.  Within  a  few  years,  not  a  scar  was 
left.  That  which  some  had  said  would  require  twenty  years 
was  achieved  in  three.  From  the  ashes  arose  finer  homes 
and  more  imposing  business  blocks  than,  perhaps,  would 
have  existed  for  many  years,  but  for  the  great  fire. 

Chicago's  misfortune  advertised  her  the  world  over, 
and  hither  came  workmen  to  find  employment,  and  men 
of  all  classes  to  share  in  her  prosperity.  So  the  metropolis 
of  the  West  continued  her  marvelous  growth. 

Chicago  Again  in  Trouble.  A  big  problem  for  all 
large  cities  is  how  to  dispose  of  their  sewage.  Chicago  had 
been  draining  all  its  sewers  into  the  sluggish  river,  and  as 
the  population  approached  the  half-million  mark,  the  river 
water  became  so  heavy  with  refuse  from  sewers  that  it 
failed  to  carry  its  load  into  the  lake.  The  offensive  odor 
became  an  unbearable  nuisance  and  a  danger  to  public 
health.  So  in  1880,  the  city  built  a  big  plant  to  pump  lake 
water  through  a  tunnel  into  the  river,  in  order  to  increase 
the  volume  and  flow  of  water,  and  thus  help  to  carry  away 
the  sewage.  This  brought  relief  for  a  time,  but  the  popula- 
tion grew  so  rapidly,  that  before  long  the  lake  water  was 
becoming  contaminated  from  the  river,  and  unfit  for  use. 

Some  other  way  of  disposing  of  the  sewage  had  to  be 
found,  because  there  was  nowhere  else  for  the  city  to  get 
water  except  from  the  lake.  Engineers  were  asked  to  solve 
the  problem.  They  said  the  best  solution  was  to  dig  a 
huge,  deep  drainage  canal  through  the  low  divide  to  the 
Des  Plaines  River,  and  by  this  means  to  reverse  the  cur- 
rent in  the  Chicago  River,  making  it  'flow  south  into  the 
Des  Plaines.  This,  they  said,  would  caKry  all  sewage  by 
way  of  the  Des  Plainee  into  the  Illinois  River,  and  on,  to 


276  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

the  Mississippi.  A  good  many  people  laughed  at  the  idea 
of  making  a  river  run  up  hill,  for  so  it  seemed. 

Such  a  stupendous  sewerage  project  had  never  before 
been  undertaken  by  a  great  city,  but  Chicago  likes  big 
tasks,  and  seeing  no  other  way  out  of  her  troubles,  began 
at  once  to  collect  the  millions  of  money  needed. 

The  cities  along  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  Rivers 
uttered  a  vigorous  protest.  They  claimed  that  the  drainage 
from  Chicago  would  pollute  the  waters  of  the  Illinois  and 
Mississippi,  which  were  their  only  source  of  supply.  To 
this  the  engineers  replied,  that  by  making  the  drainage 
canal  large  enough  to  carry  an  abundance  of  lake  water 
the  river  would  purify  itself  as  it  flowed  along. 

Special  laws  had  to  be  secured  from  the  Legislature, 
and  a  sanitary  district  organized,  in  order  to  levy  the 
taxes  necessary  to  complete  this  great  project. 

Work  was  begun  in  1892.  The  river  was  deepened  by 
dredging  for  five  miles,  to  Robey  street  on  the  south 
branch,  where  the  canal  proper  begins.  It  was  to  be 
twenty-eight  miles  long,  more  than  a  hundred  feet  wide, 
and  deep  enough  for  large  lake  vessels,  for  it  was  to  be 
used  for  navigation,  also.  For  miles  it  was  blasted  through 
solid  rock  at  a  vast  expense.  At  Lockport,  the  southern 
terminus,  where  the  water  is  discharged  into  the  Des 
Plaines,  there  was  built  a  large  basin,  so  that  boats  could 
turn  around.  After  eight  years,  the  work  was  completed, 
at  a  cost  Of  thirty-three  million  dollars,  and  the  water  from 
Lake  Michigan  now  flows  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  This 
drainage  canal  is  doing  what  its  engineers  said  it  would, 
and  Chicago's  water  supply  is  now  excellent,  and  the  city 
is  noted  for  its  low  death  rate. 

Evanston  has  completed  a  canal  from  the  lake  to  the 
north  branch  of  the  Chicago  River,  and  in  this  way  that 
city,  too,  discharges  its  sewage  through  the  drainage  canal. 


LATER  TIMES   IN   CHICAGO  277 

The  World's  Columbian  Exposition.  As  the  year  1892 
approached,  there  arose  all  over  the  country  a  desire 
to  celebrate  the  four  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  dis- 
covery of  America  by  Columbus,  by  holding  somewhere  a 
great  exposition.  Many  cities  sought  the  honor,  and  vied 
with  each  other  in  Congress  to  secure  the  exposition,  but 
Chicago  won  over  them  all.  Jackson  Park  was  chosen  as 
the  site,  and  here  were  laid  out  magnificent  grounds  cover- 
ing six  hundred  sixty-six  acres.  Under  the  excellent  direc- 
tion of  Daniel  H.  Burnham,  assisted  by  hundreds  of  the 
best  artists  and  architects  in  the  land,  the  wonderful 
"White  City"  was  built.  Nothing  like  it  in  beauty  and 
grandeur  had  ever  before  been  seen  on  the  western  con- 
tinent. 

Because  of  the  extensive  plans  and  mammoth  buildings, 
the  exposition  had  to  be  postponed  one  year.  In  the  spring 
of  1893,  it  opened  its  gates  with  splendid  promise.  All 
through  that  summer  and  autumn,  thousands  of  visitors 
from  all  parts  of  the  world  flocked  thither,  and  none  were 
disappointed.  Almost  every  foreign  country  had  its  build- 
ing, and  a  display  of  the  wonders  of  its  progress.  The 
exposition  proved  a  great  means  of  collecting  ideas  from  all 
over  the  world,  and  scattering  them  broadcast,  to  benefit 
the  human  race. 

Chicago  enjoyed  a  boom  in  all  lines,  and  the  entire 
state  was  greatly  benefited  in  many  ways.  The  varied 
and  beautiful  architecture  of  the  "White  City"  opened 
the  eyes  of  the  West.  Our  people  had  never  dreamed, 
how  far  behind  the  other  countries  of  the  world  we  were 
in  architecture  and  art.  We  were  used  to  big  buildings, 
but  we  had  no  idea  of  the  importance  of  making  them 
beautiful.  From  that  day,  Chicago  people  have  made 
great  strides  in  beautifying  their  city,  as  is  shown  in  her 
noble  boulevards,  magnificent  parks,  and  beautiful  edifices. 


278  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

TOPICS   FOR  THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  What  is  meant  by  the  statement,  "Nature  planned  Chicago"? 

2.  What  reasons  can  you  give  why  a  ship  canal  should  be  built 
from  the  Lakes  to  the  Gulf? 

3.  What  conditions  have  arisen  in  Chicago  that  make  the  con- 
struction of  a  passenger  subway  necessary? 

4.  Name   three    civic   improvements   which    in    your   judgment 
would  be  of  most  benefit  to  the  city,  and  give  your  reasons. 

LESSON   HELPS 

The  World's  Columbian  Exposition.  The  exhibits  of  the  great 
fair  were  bewildering  in  their  attraction  and  their  numbers.  Never 
before  in  the  world's  history  had  such  a  collection  of  the  products 
of  art,  science,  and  manufactures  been  made.  It  seemed  nothing 
was  wanting  of  the  best  that  the  world  could  give  from  every  nation 
and  every  clime.  The  Centennial  Exhibition  of  1876  had  appealed 
chiefly  to  the  artistic  and  the  sentimental;  the  World's  Columbian 
Exposition,  while  equally  artistic  and  far  more  extensive,  aimed 
chiefly  to  show  the  progress  of  the  human  race  during  the  preced- 
ing four  hundred  years.  For  example,  in  the  transportation  build- 
ing were  exhibited  the  old  Conestoga  wagon  and  the  stagecoach  of 
a  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  side  by  side  with  the  best  equipped 
modern  locomotive.  So,  in  many  exhibits,  the  old  and  the  new  were 
contrasted  in  such  a  way  as  to  present  most  strikingly  to  the  eye 
the  wonderful  progress  of  modern  times. 

— HENRY  WILLIAM  ELSON. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

New   Chicago.     Outlook,   Vol.   92,    Pages  997-1013. 

Illinois  of  Today.     Pritchard. 

Illinois  As  It  Is.     Gerhard. 

Chicago  After  the  Fire.     Scribner's  Magazine,  Vol.  17,  Page  663. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

Still  sits  the  schoolhouse  by  the  road, 

A  ragged  beggar  sunning; 
Around  it  still  the  sumachs  grow, 

And  blackberry-vines  are  running. 

—  JOHN  GREENLEAF  WHITTIER. 


OF    TTJJNOTS 


An  Inspiring  Picture.  When  the  school  bells  rang  this 
morning  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  state, 
a  million  pupils  took  up  their  studies  and  orderly  reci- 
tations. The  great  majority  of  them  did  this  under 
conditions  favorable  to  health  and  happiness.  The  class- 
rooms in  the  main  are  fairly  well  lighted  and  heated. 
The  sanitation  is  much  improved,  there  is  usually  an 
abundant  supply  of  pure  water,  and  but  few  schools 
where  drinking  cups  are  used  in  common.  The  instruction 
is  in  the  hands  of  teachers  competent  to  give  the  needed 
help  to  all.  Under  these  circumstances,  this  is  a  good  time 
to  look  into  the  past  and  to  question  the  future,  that  we 
may  understand  how  far  we  have  advanced  in  the  right 
direction  and  what  remains  yet  to  be  done. 

Looking  Backward.  As  you  have  learned,  the  spirit  of 
the  free  public  school  was  planted  in  the  Northwest  Terri- 
tory by  the  Ordinance  of  1787.  In  the  act  creating  the 
Territory  of  Illinois,  Congress  made  a  public  school  system 
possible  by  setting  aside  the  sixteenth  section,  or  one  of 
equal  value,  in  every  township,  —  998,448  acres  in  all,  —  for 
that  purpose.  Three  per  cent,  of  the  net  proceeds  from 
the  sales  of  all  public  lands  in  the  state  was  given  by  the 

279 


280  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

general  government  for  the  encouragement  of  education, 
with  a  provision  that  one-sixth  part  of  such  revenue  should 
be  used  to  establish  a  college  or  university. 

Pioneer  Schools.  Even  with  all  this  assistance  from 
the  government,  the  schools  were  in  a  bad  condition.  The 
people  were  too  poor  to  tax  themselves  to  pay  the  teachers, 
and  the  receipts  from  the  school  lands,  much  of  which  was 
sold  at  $1.25  an  acre,  brought  but  little  relief.  A  law 
taxing  the  people  for  the  support  of  the  schools  was  passed 
in  1825,  but  there  was  so  much  opposition  that  it  was 
repealed  four  years  later.  Meanwhile  the  cause  of  public 
education  fell  to  a  very  low  stage.  The  schoolhouses  were 
either  poorly  built  of  logs,  or  some  abandoned  building  was 
used  for  the  purpose.  The  courses  of  study  were  usually 
limited  to  instruction  in  the  three  R's — "Readin',  'Ritin' 
and  'Rithmetic."  The  whole  school  studied  and  recited 
together  from  such  books  as  could  be  brought  from  home. 
In  some  instances  a  spelling  book  or  the  New  Testament 
was  made  to  do  duty  for  the  entire  school,  the  pupils  reciting 
"out  loud,"  and  in  concert.  The  teacher,  who  was  too 
often  an  incompetent  adventurer,  either  "boarded  around," 
or  traveled  from  house  to  house,  spending  part  of  the  day 
instructing  the  children  of  each  family.  Sometimes  he 
received  his  pay  in  produce,  pork,  beef,  corn  or  tallow — 
and  in  one  instance  at  least,  a  calf.  There  was  no  fixed 
standard  by  which  teachers'  certificates  were  granted,  the 
principal  question  asked  the  applicant  being  whether  he 
could  "keep  order." 

A  teacher  of  those  days  in  describing  his  first  examina- 
tion says:  "The  only  question  asked  me  at  my  examina- 
tion was  'What  is  the  product  of  twenty-five  cents  by 
twenty-five  cents?'  As  this  question  did  not  occur  in 
Pike's  Arithmetic,  I  could  not  answer  it.  The  examiner 
thought  it  was  six  and  one-quarter  cents,  but  was  not  sure. 


THE  SCHOOLS  OF  ILLINOIS  283 

We  discussed  its  merits  for  an  hour  or  more,  when  he 
decided  that  he  was  sure  I  was  qualified  to  teach  school, 
and  a  first-class  certificate  was  given  me." 

Better  Schoolhouses  Needed.  If  one  takes  a  ride 
through  the  state  on  any  railroad,  the  country  schoolhouse 
is  the  most  familiar  object  in  the  landscape.  It  is  painted 
white,  and  stands  in  a  field  or  school  ground,  lonesome  and 
alone, — "a  ragged  beggar  sunning."  There  is  but  "one  door 
and  that  opens  directly  into  the  schoolroom.  The  windows 
are  high  and  narrow,  and  placed  at  regular  intervals  on 
three  sides,  and  it  sometimes  happens  that  no  shades  are 
provided  to  regulate  the  light.  The  heating  is  done  with  a 
stove  that  is  placed  where  it  should  not  be,  and  is  an  ever- 
present  danger  to  the  clothing  of  the  pupils  and  to  the 
building  itself.  In  many  instances  there  is  no  means  of 
ventilation  except  by  opening  a  window  or  door. 

Thanks  to  the  State  Superintendent  and  many  ener- 
getic County  Superintendents,  the  people  are  being 
instructed  in  a  wiser  way  of  building.  Plans  for  almost 
any  type  of  rural  school  may  be  had  at  a  small  cost.  These 
plans  show  the  proper  method  of  lighting,  heating  and 
ventilating,  and  how  to  make  the  building  most  attractive 
at  smallest  cost. 

Improve  the  School  Grounds.  Here  and  there  we  find 
a  school  yard  planted  with  trees  and  made  beautiful  with 
shrubs  and  flowers.  But  a  great  work  remains  to  be  done, 
and  this  work  must  be  begun  and  carried  forward  by  the 
pupils  themselves.  No  more  pleasant  and  profitable  task 
can  come  to  those  who  read  this  book  than  an  earnest 
effort  to  make  the  school  grounds  beautiful.  Study  the 
soil  and  its  possibilities.  Read  the  flower  and  seed  cata- 
logues, and  garden  magazines.  Plan  and  work  under  the 
direction  of  the  teacher,  and  for  your  own  sake,  make  it 
a  labor  of  love. 


284  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Looking  Forward.  While  our  schools  are  rapidly 
improving,  the  country  boys  and  girls  are  still  at  a  dis- 
advantage; not  because  the  farmer  is  unwilling  to  pay 
taxes,  but  because  the  country  teacher  has  to  instruct 
thirty  or  more  classes  a  day,  representing  usually  several 
grades  of  advancement.  On  the  other  hand,  the  city  teacher 
has,  ordinarily,  not  more  than  a  dozen  classes,  and  these 
all  of  one  grade.  Centralized  rural  schools  must  wait  for 
good  roads,  the  limestone  for  which  nature  has  given  us  in 
abundance;  but  it  still  lies  beneath  the  surface.  Surely, 
the  young  who  read  this  book  will  do  what  they  can  to 
centralize  the  rural  schools  when  they  grow  to  be  men  and 
women,  and  they  will  try  to  make  them  as  good  as  the 
efficient  township  high  schools  now  found  all  over  the  state. 

Above  the  excellent  graded  schools  and  the  high  schools, 
are  the  normal  schools,  colleges,  and  the  splendid  State 
University  at  Urbana,  of  which  we  all  may  be  proud. 
So  ample  are  the  opportunities  for  an  education  that 
no  boy  or  girl  need  to  go  into  life  handicapped  by  ignorance. 

The  State's  Chief  Treasure.  Marvelous  as  are  the 
resources  of  Illinois  in  minerals,  soil  and  rivers,  our  greatest 
wealth  lies  not  there,  but  in  the  boys  and  girls  who  are  to 
be  the  men  and  women  of  tomorrow.  The  state  is  levying 
heavy  taxes  in  order  that  its  future  citizens  may  be  well 
trained.  To  this  end  every  property  owner,  whether  he 
has  children  to  educate  or  not,  must  bear  his  part  of  the 
cost  of  the  schools.  The  poor  man  pays  next  to  nothing, 
and  yet  his  children  share  equally  the  benefits  of  the 
public  schools  with  the  children  of  the  rich.  Truly,  ours  is 
a  land  of  liberty  and  enlightenment. 

Who  are  True  Citizens?  But  what  our  dear  old  Illinois 
needs  today,  perhaps  more  than  anything  else,  is  more 
unselfishness  among  its  citizens.  Thousands  of  men  and 
women,  after  receiving  their  education  in  the  public  schools, 


THE  SCHOOLS  OF  ILLINOIS  285 

fail  to  show  their  love  for  the  state  and  their  interest  in  its 
welfare.  They  become  so  engrossed  in  their  own  private 
affairs  that  they  will  not  give  enough  time  to  see  that  good 
men  are  elected  to  office.  They  allow  dishonest  and  cor- 
rupt politicians  to  get  control,  and  these  bring  the  state 
of  Douglas  and  Lincoln  into  disgrace  before  the  nation. 
Every  citizen,  deserving  the  name,  should  be  interested  in 
politics,  and  not  only  take  enough  time  from  business  to 
vote  upon  every  occasion,  but,  if  he  really  loves  his  state, 
he  should  be  present  in  political  councils  where  candidates 
are  agreed  upon.  Political  machines  we  must  have,  for 
that  is  merely  another  name  for  organized  work,  but  we 
can  and  must  make  these  machines  serve  the  best  interests 
of  the  public. 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  Draw  a  floor  plan  of   a  one-room  schoolhouse.      Locate  the 
teacher's  desk,  and  state  in  the  margin  how  you  would  heat  the 
building. 

2.  If  you  wished  to  enlarge  the  above  to  a  two-room  building, 
would  you  place  the  added  room  at  the  side  or  above  the  first?    Give 
reasons  for  your  answer. 

3.  Make  a  diagram  or  plan  of  the  school  yard,  and  place  an  X 
where  each  tree  should  be  planted. 

4.  Name  five  of  the  most  desirable  kinds  of  shade  trees  for 
planting  in  Illinois. 

5.  What  kinds  of  shrubs  are  best  suited  to  withstand  a  severe 
winter?     What  is  meant  by  "hardy  perennials"? 

LESSON   HELPS 

To  the  Parents  and  Pupils  of  Illinois: 

If  an  inhabitant  of  Mars,  gifted  with  superior  vision,  could 
have  looked  down  upon  the  State  of  Illinois  in  the  early  September 
days,  he  would  have  beheld  a  scene  of  unusual  interest — a  million 
children  on  their  way  to  school.  Up  from  the  farm,  along  the  wind- 
ing country  roads,  up  from  the  villages  and  towns,  out  from  the 


286;  THE   STORY  OF   ILLINOIS 

great  cities,  comes  this  multitudinous  army  of  children.  Where  is 
the  Pied  Piper  with  his  magic  flute  who  charms  this  host  of  chil- 
dren from  their  homes?  Listen!  Ten  thousand  bells  ring  and  the 
pace  quickens.  That  is  the  magic  flute  and  the  piper,  the  thirty 
thousand  teachers  of  the  State  of  Illinois.  To  what  mountain  does 
he  lead  them?  To  the  mountain  of  the  common  school.  Why? 
Not  to  destroy  them;  not  to  alienate  them  from  their  parents  and 
homes;  not  to  hide  them  in  the  dark  interior  of  misery  and  gloom, 
but  to  lead  them  up  the  mountain  side;  up  into  the  sunshine  and  the 
light;  up  into  a  clearer  and  wider  vision;  up  into  the  presence  of  the 
God  of  truth  who  shall  write  with  His  finger  upon  the  tablets  of  their 
hearts  and  minds,  the  laws  of  art  and  science;  the  beauty  of  know- 
ing and  doing;  the  sweetness  of  being  and  serving;  the  decalogue 
of  a  wholesome,  happy  life.  This  is  what  we  hope  the  Martian 
saw,  heard  and  believed. 

Let  us  hope  that  the  twenty-six  millions  of  dollars  spent  each 
year  on  the  common  schools  shall  not  be  wasted;  that  the  thirty 
thousand  teachers  shall  not  toil  in  vain;  that  the  million  of  children 
shall  not  come  back  empty-handed.  To  realize  this  ideal,  calls  for 
the  earnest,  intelligent,  loyal  support  of  the  parents  in  the  homes  of 
Illinois.  Yours  sincerely, 

— F.   G.  BLAIR,  State  Superintendent. 

We  are  added  unto  by  every  living  thing  we  love  and  care  for. 
Therefore  let  us  respect  and  do  good  unto  the  other  forms  of  life 
in  order  that  we  may  do  the  greater  good  unto  ourselves.  Let  us 
harbor  and  love  the  birds.  And  in  order  that  they  may  have  a  har- 
bor and  a  nesting-place  for  their  young,  let  us  plant  a  tree.  The 
associations  with  the  tree  and  the  birds  and  the  abiding  memory 
of  them  will  be  our  complete  reward. 

We  do  those  who  are  to  come  after  us  a  lasting  good  by  planting 
trees  and  shrubs  on  the  school  grounds.  There  are  now  one  thou- 
sand one  hundred  twelve  school  yards  in  Illinois  without  a  tree. 

— HON.  FRANCIS  G.  BLAIR. 


RECOMMENDED   READINGS 

The  Boyhood  of  Lincoln.     Butterworth. 
The  Evolution  of  Dodd.     Smith. 
Illinois  School  Report,  1908-1910. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

Stand  to  your  work  and  be  wise — certain  of  sword  and  pen, 

Who  are  neither  children  nor  Gods,  but  men  in  a  world  of   men! 

— A  Song  of  the  English — RUDYARD  KIPLING. 

OUR   HISTORIC   OUTLOOK 

An  Unrivaled  Boundary.  There  is  perhaps  no  other 
state  in  the  Union  so  favored  in  its  boundaries  as  our 
own.  The  navigable  Wabash  River  defines  one  hundred 
fifty  miles  of  the  southeastern  limits  of  the  state;  for  a 
hundred  miles  across  the  southern  border  winds  the  beau- 
tiful Ohio,  bearing  steamboats  and  barges  loaded  with 
valuable  merchandise;  while  the  entire  western  boundary 
is  formed  by  one  of  the  most  important  river  in  the  world, 
the  Mississippi.  These,  together  with  the  fifty  miles  of 
frontage  on  Lake  Michigan,  give  us  a  water  boundary 
unequaled  for  its  commercial  advantages. 

Navigable  Waters  Within  the  State.  Besides,  there  are 
navigable  rivers  within  the  state,  the  Kaskaskia,  the  Rock, 
and  the  Illinois,  the  last  being  five  hundred  miles  long,  and 
navigable  for  small  boats  for  two  hundred  fifty  miles.  The 
Illinois  and  the  Rock  are  connected  by  the  Hennepin 
canal,  which  was  recently  completed  at  a  cost  of  eight 
million  dollars.  Water  transportation  will  probably  always 
be  the  cheapest,  and,  while  slow,  can  be  used  for  heavy  and 
bulky  articles  such  as  coal,  lumber  and  stone,  whose 
transit  need  not  be  rapid.  The  high  cost  of  the  necessities 
of  life  is  due  partly  to  the  excessive  freight  charges  of  the 
railroads,  and  this  will  force  us,  sooner  or  later,  to  depend 
more  upon  the  cheaper  water  transportation  in  which 
Illinois  easily  excels. 

287 


288  THE   STORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

Lakes-to-Gulf  Waterway.  Large  steamers  can  now 
penetrate  nearly  forty  miles  toward  the  heart  of  the 
state,  through  the  drainage  canal;  and  many  of  our  lead- 
ing statesmen  believe  that  either  the  state  or  the  national 
government  ought  to  extend  this  deep  waterway  to  the 
Mississippi.  The  old  Illinois-Michigan  canal  is  much 
too  shallow  for  the  boats  of  today,  and  so  is  little  used. 
It  would  certainly  be  a  wonderful  commercial  advantage 
to  be  able  to  load  vessels  at  Chicago,  or  other  lake  ports, 
and  send  them  to  foreign  countries  by  way  of  a  great  ship 
canal  and  the  Mississippi.  It  would  save  a  long  haul  by 
rail  and  reloading  at  some  seaport.  Some  day  this  Lakes- 
to-Gulf  Waterway  may  be  realized,  and  when  that  day 
comes,  Illinois  will  enjoy  the  advantages  of  a  seaboard 
state. 

Underground  Resources.  There  are  no  precious  metals, 
such  as  gold  and  silver,  found  in  Illinois,  but  this  lack 
is  overbalanced  many  times  by  the  abundance  of  other 
mineral  deposits.  A  large  part  of  the  state  is  underlaid 
with  limestone,  and  there  have  been  discovered  recently, 
splendid  oil  fields  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state.  But 
by  far  the  most  important  under-soil  wealth  we  possess 
lies  in  our  boundless  coal  fields,  covering  more  than  thirty 
thousand  square  miles,  or  nearly  two-thirds  of  the  state. 
In  many  places  the  deposit  consists  of  vein  after  vein, 
varying  in  thickness  from  one  to  nine  feet.  After  Pennsyl- 
vania, Illinois  is  the  greatest  coal-producing  state  in  the 
nation,  furnishing  fuel  for  countless  industries  at  home 
and  abroad. 

As  the  years  go  by,  this  coal  wealth  will  doubtless  be 
mined  much  more  extensively  than  at  present.  Illinois 
has  been,  hitherto,  chiefly  a  farming  section,  but  factories 
are  certain  to  multiply  in  all  our  cities  because  of  the 
convenience  and  abundance  of  fuel. 


OUR  HISTORIC   OUTLOOK  289 

The  Fertile  Soil.  With  the  exception  of  Louisiana  and 
Delaware,  ours  is  the  most  level  state  in  the  Union.  There 
is  very  little  waste  land.  The  soil  is  a  black  loam  of  great 
fertility.  For  half  a  century,  it  has  poured  forth  annually 
its  hundred-fold  of  grain,  even  though  sadly  abused  by  the 
farmer.  While  Illinois  possesses  the  richest  soil  in  the 
world,  it  may  yet  be  as  poor  as  the  worn-out  hillsides  of 
New  England,  unless  those  who  till  it,  learn  to  conserve 
the  elements  of  plant  growth. 

There  are  three  elements  that  are  very  necessary  to 
plant  production,  and  therefore  to  human  food.  They  are 
nitrogen,  potash  and  phosphorus,  the  last  being,  perhaps, 
the  most  important.  Deprive  the  soil  of  any  .of  these  ele- 
ments and  it  will  cease  to  produce  crops. 

We  are  told  that  the  average  of  the  different  kinds  of 
Illinois  soils,  for  the  upper  seven  inches  of  surface,  contains 
1,191  pounds  of  phosphorus  per  acre.  But  a  seventy-five 
bushel  crop  of  corn,  for  instance,  will  remove  from  an  acre 
seventeen  pounds  of  phosphorus.  At  that  rate,  the  total 
supply  of  this  element  would  be  exhausted  in  seventy  years, 
unless  returned  to  the  soil  in  some  manner. 

The  Prairies  Abused.  Our  farmers  have  not  always 
known  the  injury  they  were  doing  to  the  soil  by  raising 
on  it  the  same  crop  every  year,  for  a  score  of  years.  They 
have  not  known  that  different  crops  take  from  the  land 
different  elements,  and  that  what  is  taken  out  should  be 
put  back  somehow;  that  it  is  best  to  rotate  the  crops  and  to 
turn  the  fields  to  different  uses,  so  as  to  give  the  land  a  rest 
and  a  chance  to  gain  back  the  elements  taken  out.  Western 
farmers  have  burned  up  millions  of  tons  of  straw  and 
cornstalks  which  contained  large  amounts  of  plant  food, 
and  which  should  have  been  scattered  on  the  ground  and 
allowed  to  decay,  thus  feeding  their  elements  back  to 
the  soil. 


290  THE  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

Some  farmers  have  been  guilty  of  plowing  up  and 
down  the  slope,  and  in  this  way  assisting  the  water  to  form 
rills  that  during  storms  carry  away  the  good  top  soil  which 
alone  contains  plant  food.  It  is  said  that  the  Mississippi 
carries  into  the  Gulf  every  year  enough  good  soil  to  support 
the  entire  population  of  Nevada  if  converted  into  farms. 
Much  of  this  loss  is  due  to  the  ignorance  of  those  who 
sow  and  reap. 

Our  Farmers  are  Kings.  Through  the  splendid  work 
of  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  its  experiment  sta- 
tions, our  farmers  are  learning  how  to  secure  greater  yields, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  keep  their  fields  well  supplied  with 
plant  food  by  fertilizing,  and  by  rotating  crops.  The 
number  of  people  who  can  live  on  our  prairies  is  limited 
only  by  the  amount  of  human  food  obtainable  from  the 
earth.  So,  the  future  of  the  state  lies  almost  wholly  in 
the  farmer's  hands.  How  great  it  is  to  be  depends  upon 
how  well  he  learns  the  lesson  of  conserving  the  richness  of 
the  soil. 

Illinois  Excels  in  Railroads.  In  railroad  mileage, 
Illinois  has  no  equal,  and  to  railroad  building  there  seems 
to  be  no  end.  Interurban  lines  are  spreading  to  the  villages 
and  farming  communities.  No  other  people  are  so  blessed 
with  transportation  facilities  as  are  those  of  our  prairies. 
This  leads  to  much  travel  and  to  the  interchange  of  ideas. 
From  travel  comes  the  best  of  education  and  culture,  and  our 
advantages  in  this  respect  must  become  evident  each  year. 

Illinois  has  no  large  cities  except  Chicago,  whose 
population  was  in  1910,  2,185,283,  but  other  cities  have 
fine  locations  and  excellent  sites  for  factories,  and  these 
factories  are  certain  to  appear  because  of  the  coal  supply 
and  the  cheap  water  transportation  of  the  future. 

Ours  a  Mixed  Race.  The  people  of  Illinois  are  a 
remarkable  mixture  of  races  and  nationalities.  The  early 


West  f 


RAILROAD  AND  COUNTY  MAP  OF  ILLINOIS 


292  THE   STORY   OF.  ILLINOIS 

settlers  came  from  many  states  of  our  own  country,  and 
from  many  foreign  lands.  There  were  among  them  New 
Yorkers,  Virginians  and  Yankees,  and  men  from  the 
various  states  of  the  South.  From  Germany,  France  and 
Holland,  from  the  British  Isles,  and  from  Norway  and 
Sweden,  came  hosts  of  hardy  settlers.  Such  a  sifting  of 
the  peoples  of  the  earth  as  is  sprinkled  over  our  prairies  is 
hardly  found  anywhere  else  in  the  world.  The  mixing  of 
these  nationalities  by  intermarriage  has  produced  our 
energetic  men  and  women  of  today. 

As  we  look  back  over  the  history  of  the  past,  we  notice 
that  the  mixed  races — the  Greeks,  the  Romans,  the  Eng- 
lish,— have  made  the  most  notable  advances  in  civilization. 
Our  country  is  the  most  remarkable  of  all  times  in  this 
respect,  and  the  mixing  process  still  continues.  No  common- 
wealth can  boast  of  a  more  noble  or  more  varied  ancestry 
than  the  Prairie  State. 

The  Outlook.  No  citizen  of  the  state  can  read  the  story 
of  Illinois  without  feeling  a  just  pride  in  what  she  has  done 
to  upbuild  the  lives  of  her  own  people  and  to  help  others. 
There  is  no  blot  nor  stain  on  the  pages  of  her  history. 
The  past  is  secure,  and  we  can  turn  to  the  future  with  the 
confident  expectation  that  greater  things  are  to  come. 
With  the  passing  of  the  hardships  and  privations  of  the 
pioneers  have  come  wealth  and  culture,  and  these  are  being 
strengthened  and  made  more  effective  by  the  broadening 
influence  of  travel. 

It  was  said  in  ancient  times  that  all  roads  led  to  Rome. 
And  so  it  is  of  Illinois.  There  is  scarcely  any  great  conti- 
nental route  of  travel  that  does  not  come  within  her  bor- 
ders. Her  gates  are  open  to  all  the  earth.  If  her  people 
will  grasp  the  opportunities  that  nature  and  circumstance 
afford,  there  is  no  ideal  of  future  usefulness  that  may  not 
be  realized. 


OUR  HISTORIC  OUTLOOK  293 

TOPICS   FOR   THOUGHT   AND   STUDY 

1.  With  the  map  of  Illinois  before  you,  trace  the  boundaries  of 
the  state  as  given  in  the  Appendix.     Name  all  the  waters  touching 
upon  the  state,  and  tell  whether  navigable  or  not. 

2.  Name  five  minerals  that  comprise  the  principal  underground 
wealth  of  the  state. 

3.  What  can  you  find  from  the  encyclopedia  or  other  sources 
regarding  the  origin  of  coal? 

4.  What  is  meant  by  "intensive  farming,"  and  what  has  it  to 
do  with  the  future  of  our  state? 

LESSON   HELPS 

I  can  not  too  earnestly  invite  you  to  the  closest  personal  atten- 
tion to  party  and  political  caucuses  and  the  primary  meetings  of  your 
respective  parties.  They  constitute  that  which  goes  to  make  up 
at  last  the  popular  will.  They  lie  .at  the  basis  of  all  true  reform. 
It  will  not  do  to  hold  yourself  aloof  from  politics  and  parties.  If 
the  party  is  wrong,  make  it  better;  that's  the  business  of  the  true 
partisan  and  good  citizen.  — WILLIAM  McKiNLEY. 

America  Means  Destiny.  The  geographic  conditions  for  Ameri- 
can growth  seem  to  have  been  perfect.  At  a  critical  time  in  the 
history  of  European  thought  and  life,  a  sturdy  people  needed  a  new 
field.  That  field  was  opened  to  them  by  the  voyages  of  the  fifteenth 
and  sixteenth  centuries.  It  was  entered  from  the  Atlantic  side 
and  opened  so  freely  on  those  waters  as  to  insure  swift  occupancy 
and  a  single  dominion  from  ocean  to  ocean.  It  had  the  widest 
variety  of  surface,  soil,  and  climate,  and  was  fitted,  or  can  be  fitted, 
to  produce  nearly  all  that  human  comfort  and  intelligence  can 
crave.  The  land  is  large  enough  to  support  an  enormous  popula- 
tion, and  still  produce  a  surplus  for  the  markets  of  the  world.  The 
very  largeness  of  American  problems  has  helped  to  make  a  people 
able  to  solve  them,  and  that  people  now  finds  itself  fronting  the 
two  great  oceans,  where,  more  than  any  other  nation,  it  can  reach 
out  and  touch  every  part  of  the  world. 

— ALBERT  P.  BRIGHAM. 

RECOMMENDED   READINGS 
Illinois.     Washburne. 

Chicago  Today.     Scribner's  Magazine,  Vol.  17,  Page  663. 
Illinois  of  Today.     Pritchard. 


THE    APPENDIX 


A.     BOUNDARIES   OF   ILLINOIS 

The  boundaries  and  jurisdiction  of  the  State  shall  be  as  fol- 
lows, to-wit:  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Wabash  River;  thence 
up  the  same,  and  with  the  line  of  Indiana,  to  the  northwest  corner 
of  said  State;  thence  east,  with  the  line  of  the  same  State,  to  the 
middle  of  Lake  Michigan;  thence  north  along  the  middle  of  said 
lake,  to  north  latitude  forty-two  degrees  and  thirty  minutes;  thence 
west  to  the  middle  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  thence  down  along 
the  middle  of  that  river  to  its  confluence  with  the  Ohio  River,  and 
thence  up  the  latter  river  along  its  northwestern  shore,  to  the  place 
of  beginning:  Provided,  that  this  State  shall  exercise  such  jurisdiction 
upon  the  Ohio  River,  as  she  is  now  entitled  to,  or  such  as  may  here- 
after be  agreed  upon  by  this  State  and  the  State  of  Kentucky. 

— The  Constitution  of  Illinois,  Article  I. 


B.     EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  ORDINANCE  OF  1787 

ARTICLE  I 

No  person  demeaning  himself  in  a  peaceable  and  orderly  man- 
ner, shall  ever  be  molested  on  account  of  his  mode  of  worship,  or 
religious  sentiments,  in  the  said  territories. 

ARTICLE  II 

The  inhabitants  of  said  territory  shall  always  be  entitled  to  the 
benefits  of  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  and  of  the  trial  by  jury;  of  a 
proportionate  representation  of  the  people  in  the  legislature,  and  of 
judicial  proceedings  according  to  the  course  of  common  law.  * 

294 


APPENDIX  295 

ARTICLE  III 

Religion,  morality,  and  knowledge  being  necessary  to  good 
government  and  the  happiness  of  mankind,  schools  and  the  means 
of  education  shall  forever  be  encouraged.  *  *  * 

ARTICLE  IV 

The  said  territory,  and  the  states  that  may  be  formed  therein, 
shall  forever  remain  a  part  of  this  confederacy  of  the  United  States 
of  America.  *  *  * 

ARTICLE  V 

There  shall  be  formed  in  the  said  territory  not  less  than  three 
nor  more  than  five  states;  and  the  boundaries  of  the  states,  as  soon 
as  Virginia  shall  alter  her  act  of  cession  and  consent  to  the  same, 
shall  become  fixed  and  established  as  follows:  *  *  * 

ARTICLE  VI 

There  shall  be  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servitude  in  the 
said  territory,  otherwise  than  in  the  punishment  of  crimes,  whereof 
the  party  shall  have  been  duly  convicted.  *  *  * 


C.     STATE   CAPITALS 

By  the  first  state  constitution,  Kaskaskia  was  made  the  capi- 
tal, when  Illinois  was  separated  from  Indiana  in  1809.  The  consti- 
tution further  provided  that  the  General  Assembly  should  "petition 
Congress  for  a  grant  to  the  State  of  four  sections  of  land  for  a  seat 
of  the  government." 

Congress  granted  the  land  to  the  state,  March  3,  1819,  and  the 
capital  commission  at  once  set  about  to  lay  out  the  town,  sell  lots, 
and  build  a  temporary  capitol.  The  official  records  were  moved 
from  Kaskaskia  to  Vandalia,  as  the  new  town  was  called,  December, 
1820. 

The  first  capitol  was  a  small  frame  building,  which  was  burned 
in  1823.  Another  building  was  erected  at  once,  but  was  torn  down 
in  1836,  and  a  new  one  built  in  its  place  by  the  citizens  of  Vandalia, 


296  THE  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

who  feared  the  capital  would  be  moved  to  Springfield.  This  was 
done  later,  and  the  legislature  selected  Springfield  as  the  seat  of 
government  in  1837. 


D.     STATE   CONSTITUTIONS 

Illinois  has  had  three  constitutions.  The  first,  framed  at  Kas- 
kaskia,  in  1818,  was  a  very  crude  affair,  and  mainly  remarkable  for 
its  silence  on  important  questions  of  government.  The  principal 
defects  of  the  first  constitution  were  corrected  in  a  second,  in  1848. 
But  in  this  no  adequate  measures  were  provided  for  raising  the 
money  required  to  meet  the  needs  of  a  rapidly  growing  state. 

The  third,  and  present,  constitution  was  adopted  in  1870,  by 
a  vote  of  the  people.  It  is  in  many  ways  a  remarkable  document, 
the  phraseology  being  unusually  clear  and  direct.  But  even  now, 
the  changing  conditions  that  made  the  first  and  second  constitu- 
tions inadequate,  are  creating  an  apparent  necessity  for  a  fourth 
constitution.  The  rapid  growth  of  cities  calls  for  new  and  greater 
powers  than  those  contemplated  in  1870,  and  the  people  will  doubt- 
less soon  be  asked  to  vote  again  to  adopt  or  reject  a  new  constitu- 
tion, giving  larger  powers  of  taxation  and  self-government  to  munic- 
ipalities 


E.     THE  ILLINOIS-MICHIGAN  CANAL 

The  explorers  who  first  made  the  portage  from  Lake  Michigan 
to  the  Illinois  River  were  early  impressed  with  the  possibility  and 
advantages  of  a  canal  connecting  these  waters.  And,  coming  down 
through  the  years,  the  project  was  often  the  subject  of  editorials, 
messages,  and  state  papers. 

After  several  false  starts  and  the  unwise  expenditure  of  a  good 
deal  of  money,  the  canal  was  actually  begun  in  1836.  The  work 
progressed  slowly  till  1842,  when  operations  were  suspended,  with 
a  debt  of  $237,000.  Work  was  again  resumed  in  1845,  and  the 
canal  completed  in  1848,  at  a  total  cost  of  six  and  one-half  million 
dollars. 


APPENDIX  297 

F.     THE   MORMONS 

The  "Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints,"  or  the 
MormoR  Church,  as  it  is  usually  styled,  had  its  beginning  at  Fay- 
ette,  New  York,  in  1830,  and  Joseph  Smith  was  its  first  president. 
The  church  built  its  first  temple  at  Kirtland,  Ohio,  1836.  From 
Kirtland  the  majority  of  Hs  members  moved  to  Independence, 
Missouri,  in  obedience  to  a  revelation  that  they  were  to  establish 
there  the  new  City  of  Zion,  and  hither  came  Joseph  Smith,  in  1838. 
Falling  into  trouble  there  with  the  officials  of  the  county  and  state, 
and  being  harassed  on  all  sides  *hey  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in 
Hancock  County,  Illinois,  and  founded  there  the  city  of  Nauvoo. 

But,  again  in  conflict  with  the  authorities,  and  accused  of  har- 
boring criminals,  they  became  unpopular  and  were  subjected  to 
much  persecution.  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother  Hyrum  were 
slain  by  a  mob  while  confined  in  the  county  jail,  June,  1844. 

Under  the  leadership  of  Brigham  Young;  the  Mormons  began 
to  migrate  to  Utah  in  1846,  where  they  established  the  stakes  of 
the  Holy  City  of  Zion,  and  erected  the  remarkable  buildings  known 
as  the  "Temple"  and  the  "Tabernacle."  The  church  has  today 
about  500  organizations  and  a  membership  of  nearly  500,000,  chiefly 
in  Utah,  Idaho,  and  Arizona. 


G.     THE   MEXICAN  WAR 

In  May,  1846,  Congress  authorized  the  President  to  accept 
the  services  of  50,000  volunteer  soldiers,  apportioned  among  the 
several  states,  of  which  Illinois  was  to  furnish  three  regiments. 
The  Secretary  of  War  also  gave  permission  for  the  organization 
of  a  fourth  regiment,  which  went  out  under  the  command  of  Col. 
E.  D.  Baker,  of  Springfield.  Later,  1847,  two  additional  regi- 
ments were  mustered  in,  as  were  also  a  few  independent  companies. 

The  Illinois  soldiers  saw  hard  service  in  this  war,  and  gained 
an  enviable  reputation  for  bravery.  In  reporting  the  conduct  of 
our  troops  at  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  General  Taylor  wrote: 
"The  first  and  second  Illinois  and  the  Kentucky  regiments  served 
under  my  eye,  and  I  bear  a  willing  testimony  of  their  excellent 
conduct  throughout  the  day.  The  spirit  and  gallantry  with  which 
the  first  Illinois  and  the  second  Kentucky  engaged  the  enemy  in 


298  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

the  morning  restored  confidence  to  that  part  of  the  field,  while  the 
list  of  casualties  will  show  how  much  they  suffered  in  sustaining 
the  heavy  charge  of  the  enemy  in  the  afternoon." 


'H.     STATE   INSTITUTIONS 

1.  EDUCATIONAL 

State  University  of  Illinois,  Urbana-Champaign. 
Illinois  State  Normal  University,  Normal. 
Southern  Illinois  State  Normal  University,  Carbondale. 
Northern  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  De  Kalb. 
Eastern   Illinois   State   Normal   School,    Charleston. 
Western  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  Macomb. 
Illinois  State  Historical  Library,  Springfield. 

2.  CHARITABLE  AND  CORRECTIONAL 
Elgin  State  Hospital,  Elgin. 
Kankakee  State  Hospital,  Kankakee. 
Jacksonville  State  Hospital,  Jacksonville. 
Anna  State  Hospital,  Anna. 
Watertown  State  Hospital,  Watertown. 
Peoria  State  Hospital,  Peoria. 
Chester  State  Hospital,  Chester. 
Lincoln  State  School  and  Colony,  Lincoln. 
Illinois  School  for  the  Blind,  Jacksonville. 
Illinois  School  for  the  Deaf,  Jacksonville. 
Illinois  Industrial  Home  for  the  Blind,  Chicago. 
Illinois  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home,  Quincy. 
Soldiers'  Widows'  Home  of  Illinois,  Wilmington. 
Soldiers'  Orphans'  Home,  Normal. 
Illinois  Charitable  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  Chicago. 
State  Training  School  for  Girls,  Geneva. 
St.  Charles  School  for  Boys,  St.  Charles. 
Chicago  State  Hospital,  Dunning. 

3.  PENAL  AND  REFORMATORY 
Illinois  State  Penitentiary,  Joliet. 
Southern  Illinois  Penitentiary,  Chester. 
Illinois  State  Reformatory,  Pontiac. 


TOPICAL  INDEX 


Abolitionists,   213-222 
Algonquian  Family,  The,   14 
Alleghany  Mts.,  81,   91,   119 
Alton,  Treaty  at,  147 

Observer,  218 
Anderson,  Major,  272,  273 
Anti-Slavery  Society,  218,  223 
Arkansas  Kiver,  40 
,     Nation,  41 
Armstrong  Fort,  161 
Atkinson,  General,  1G1 

Black  Hawk,  120,  147,  159,  163,  173 

War,   158,   163 

Black  Laws,  192,  199,  203,  210 
Black  Partridge,  143,  144 
Bond,  Shadrick,  138 
Boone  County,  137 
Bowman,  Capt.,  114 
Breckenridge,  J.  C.,  249 
Breese,  Sidney,   187 
British,  119,  120,  127 
Buchanan,  James,  234,  237 
Buffalo  hunt,   22,  119 
Buffalo  Rock,  63 
Butler,  Jackson,  208 

Cabot,  John,  94 

Cairo,  258,  259 

Cahokia,   108 

California,  Gulf  of,  37,  42,  49 

Cameron,   247 

Canada,  42,  48,  50,  51,  52,  68,  GO 

74,   80,  82 
Canal,  167,   183 

Erie,  167,  173 

Hennepin,  303 
Canalport,   152 
Castle  Rock,  105 
Catholic,  30 

Chartres,   Fort.  90,  91,  97 
Chase,   247,  248 
Cheesman,  Jesse,  168,  169 
Chicago,  61,  72,  137,  148,  149,  151, 


Chicago 

177,   179,    181,   227 

Later  times  in,  281-293 

First  railroad  to,  281 

Location  of,  281,  290 

Fire,  282-290 

Rebuilt,  291 

Sewerage  project,  291 

River,  42,  43,  141,  291 

Republican    Convention,    247 
Clark,  George  R.,  99-107 

Plans  of,  99 

Changes  plans,  103 
Coles,  Edward,  199,  200 
Columbian   Exposition,   293 
Columbus,  30 

Constitutional  Convention,  194 
Cook,   Daniel   P.,   148,   183,    198 

County  of,  148 
Corn  Island,  102 
Cotton  gin,  212 
Cumberland  Road,  120,  164,  181 

Davis,  Jefferson,  162,  233 
Dearborn,  Fort,  141,  142,   148,  160 
Des  Plaines  river,  43,  291 
Detroit,  River,  59 

Fort,  99,  143,  177 
Douglas,  Stephen  A.,  177,  187,  231, 
249 

Debates  of,  231-241,  242 

Reflected,  241 

In  the  war,  252-257 

Following  of,   252,   253 

Loyalty  of,  253 

Last  speech  of,  257 
Drainage  Canal,  291 
"Drowned  Lands,"  112 

Edwards,  Ninian,  194 
Elgin,   134 
England,  93 
English,  82 
Erie,    Lake,   53,    59 
Canal,  173 


300 


THE  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Fell,  Jesse  W.,  242 

Fox  river,  33 

France,  30,  52,  81,  84,  93 

Freeport,    134 

French,  The,  30,   70,   112-120 

Frontenac,  Gov.,  32,  39,  43,  49,  50, 

51,    82,    83 
Fort,   51,   52,   54,  59,   69,   74,   80 

Gage,  Fort,  103 

Galena,  134,  178,  182,  264,  281 
Galesburg,  228 

Garrison,  William  Lloyd,  213,  214 
Gibault,  Father,  110 
Grant,    Ulysses    S.,    259,    260,    264- 
270,  279 

In  Mexican  War,  264 

Applies  to  Yates,  267 

Appointment  of,  269 

At  Chattanooga,  270 

Lieut.  Gen.,  270 
Great  Debates,  231-241,  242 

Lakes,  32,  81,  152,  173 
Green  Bay,   43,   60,   72 
Griffon,  The,  57,  59,  60,  61,  74 

"Hair  Buyer,"   General,   99 
Hamilton,   Gov.,   99,    100,   110,    111 
Hansen,  200 
Harrison,  Gen.,   208 
Heald,  Capt.,  142,  143 
Helm,   Capt,   104,    110,    111 

Mrs.,  144 

Hennepin,  Father,  53,  54 
57,  61,  63 

Canal,  303 
Henry,  Patrick,  100 

Fort,  117 
Hood,   John,    228 
Hull,  Gen.,  142 
Hunter,   Pioneer,    118 
Huron,  Lake,  59 

Illinois  River,  42,  63,  78,  89 
Country,   118 
Settlement,  119 
Territory  of,   133 
Boundary,   133,  134,  303 
Statehood,  197 
Bankrupt,  184 
Constitution  of,  197 


Illinois 

Position  of,  258 

In  the  war,  252-280 

Resources  of,  304,  305 

Railroads,  30<5 

Cities  of,  306 

People   of,    306 

Schools  of,  297-301 
Illinois   Central   Railroad,   188,   258 
Illinois-Michigan    Canal,    148,    183, 

184,  304 
Immigration,    100,    163,    170,    173, 

177,  178 

Indentured  servants,  191,  192 
Indians 

of  Illinois,  Chap.  .,  32,  72,  74,  77 

Name  and  origin,  13 

Iroquois,  14,  48,  64 

Work  of  the  squaw,  14,  15 

Work  of  the  brave,  16,  17 

Training  of  children,  17 

How  to  become  a  brave,   18 

Customs,   18 

Arithmetic,  21 

Writing,   21 

Buffalo-hunt,  22,  23 

Cooking  and  tanning,  24 

Tribe  on  the  war-path,  27 

Superstitions    and    religions,    27, 
28 

And  the  white  man.  28 

Eight  tribes  of  Illinois,   14 

Ilurons  and  Ottawas,  33 

Wild  Rice,  33 

Mascoutins  or  Fire-Nation,  34 

Gods  described,   40 

Algonquins,    48 

Senecas,  54-58 

Osages,   67,  69 

Sacs  and  Foxes,  treaty,  158 
Indiana,  133 

Jackson,  Andrew,  161 
Jefferson,  Thos.,  129,   131,  212 
Jesuits,  The,  30,  31,  44,  48,  52 
Joe  Daviess  Guards,  267 
Joliet,  30,  31,  32,  147 
Kankakee  river,  61, -77 

Porlpge  to,  62 
Kansas- Nebraska   Bill,   231,  233 

In  civil  war,  233 


TOPICAL  INDEX 


301 


Kaskaskia,  42,  88,  90,  99,  102-107, 
111,   122-147,  190,   194 

River,  88,  90 

First  Capital,   138 
Kentucky,  99,  100,  111 
Kidnapping,  204,   207 
Kingston,  51 
Kinzie,  John,  142-147 

La  Barre,  83 
La  Chine,  49-50 
La  Motte,  53,  54,  57 
La   Salle,   48-84 

Becomes  a  Jesuit,  48 

At  Montreal,  48 

On  the  Ohio,  49 

Tlans  of,  50 

Enemies  of,  52 

Builds  the  Griffon,  57 

Followers  disloyal,  68 

First  view  of  the  Mississippi,  78 

Victor?  at  last,  80 

His  death,  84 
Lee,  Robert  E.,  270 
Leeper,  H.  B.,  228 
Liberator,  The,  213 
Lincoln,  Abraham,  122,  162,  194 

On    Slavery,    238 

Challenges  Douglas,  238 

Great  debates  of,  238-241 

Nomination  and  election  of,  242- 
251 

Autobiography,  243 

Before  Decatur  Convention;  244 

Before   Chicago   Convention,   244, 
247,  248 

Farewell  at  Springfield,  250 

In  the  White  House,   271-280 

His  Cabinet,  273 

Death  of,  279 
Lockport,    292 
Logan,  John  A.,  261-264 

A  Douglas  Democrat,   262 

On  Slavery,  262 

Loyalty  of,   263 
Long,  Major,  148 
"Long  Knives,"  104,  107,  108 
Louis  XIV,  51,  52,  53,  81 
Louisiana   Purchase,  231 
Louisville,    101 
Lovejoy,  Elijah,  212-222 


Lovejoy,  Early  life  of,  214 

On  Slavery,  214 

At  St.  Louis,  214 

At  Alton,  218 

Monument  of,  215 
Lovejoy,  Owen,  262 

Mackinac,    32,    33,    44,    59,    61,    72, 

80,  82 

Madison,  James,  212 
Marietta,  138 

Marquette,  Father,  30,  31,  32-44 
Maumee   river,    110,    174 
MfClellan,  Gen.  Geo.  B.,  268,  279 
Menominee  river,  33 
Mexico,  Gulf  of,  32,  37,  42,  81,  84, 

88 

Miami,  Fort,  61 

Michigan,   Lake,  33,  43,  44,  60 
Miltimore,  Alderman,  153,  154 
Mississippi  river,  32,  37-42,  78,  80, 

88-90,  181 
Missouri  river,   40,   90 

Compromise,  231 
Monroe,  James,  129,  131,  132 
Monso,   Chief,   67,   68 
Montreal,  48,  74,  77 

National   Road,    120,    181 

New   Orleans,   90,   91,    93,   94,   127, 

164,    167 

Niagara  river,  50,  53,  54,  57 
North  Carolina,  80 
Northwest  Territory,  129,  132    133 

137,  191 

Ohio  river,  40,  49,   120,   121 
Ontario,  Lake,  50,   51,  57,  77 
Ordinance  of  1787,  133,  191 
Oregon,   134 
Ottawa,   187,  239 

Peacepipe,  38,  41 
Peoria  lake,  63 
Philadelphia,    167 
Phillips,   Wendell,   221 
Pioneer  Hunter,  The,   118,  178 

Woodland,   The,   119 
Pioneer,  The 

Clothing,  Books,  etc.,  124 

Prairie,   178 


302 


THE  STORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Pitt,  Fort,  94 
Pittsburg,  94,  120 
Plank  Hoads,  154 
Pope,   Nathaniel,   133 
Popular   Sovereignty,   240 
Portage  Railroad,  168 
Potomac  river,   80 

Quakers,    227 
Quebec,  30,  43,  49,  84 

Renault,   Philip,   190 
Reynolds,  Governor,  159 
Richmond,   270 
Rock  river,  90,  158 
Rockford,  134 
Rosecrans,  General,  270 

Sacs,  158 

San  Domingo,   190 

Sankenuk,  158 

Sault   Ste.   Marie,   60 

Scott,  General,  160 

Schoolcraft,  148 

Scward,  William  II.,  247,  248,  272, 

273 

Shawneetown,  120,  121 
Sherman,   General   W.  T.,  270 
Shiloh,  260 
Sioux,  161 
Slave,  Auction,  204 

Merchant,  207 

Mart,   207 

Territory,   192 

Set   free,   210 

States  secede,  250 
Slavery,  In  Illinois,  190-202 

Under  England,   191 

At   Kaskaskia,   191 

Indentured,   192 

Fight  on,  198 

Decline  of,  203-211 
Spanish,  82 
Springfield,  188 
Stfii.ton,  Edward  M.,  274 


Stephenson  County,   137,   170 

Steamboats,  1(59,  173,  177 

Sterling,  Capt.,  94 

St.  Clair,  Lake,  59 

Governor,  137,  208,  209 
On  slavery  in  Illinois,  191 

St.  Ignace,  33,  44 

St.  Louis,  40,   121 
Fort,  78,  83,  84,  90 

Sumter,  Fort,  253,  272,  273 

Swift,  General,  259 

Tecumseh,  Chief,  142 
Tennessee,   99 
Texas,   83,   84 
Tonty,  53-84 
Tremont  House,   257 
Turnpike,  The  National,  120 

Underground   Railway,   223-230 
I'tica,  63 

Vlneennes,  99,  110-117 
Virginia,   Sea  of,   42 

State  of,  100,  112,  119,  127,  129, 
191 

Claims  to  Illinois.  101 
Wabash  Country,   112 

River,  113 

Walk-in-the-water,    171-173 
Washington,  George,  132-212 
Waukegan,    134 
Wayne,  Fort,  142 
Wheeling,  164 
Whitney,  Eli,  212 
Wigwam.  The,  247 
Williamsburg,  112 
Winnebago,    Lake,   34 
Wisconsin,  River.  34.  90 

Territory.    133 

Claims  of,  136 
Woodland  Pioneer,  119 

Yankees,  173.   178-182,  209 
Yatcs,  Richard,  258-2G1,  267,  209 


1933  ; 

UNIVERSITY  Of  IU.INOIS 


